Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Central and Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

861.413/3–2550

The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Barbour) to the Secretary of State

confidential
No. 386

Moscow, March 25, 1950.

Father Brassard has now obtained residence registration with the Soviet authorities valid until June 1950 but has not as yet been registered to perform religious services nor received authorization to use the Church of St. Louis or other premises in Moscow in that connection.

Subsequent to the despatch under reference,¹ Intourist replied to the Embassy’s request for an hotel room for Father Brassard stating, “that because of lack of vacant rooms at the Intourist hotels, unfortunately, it is impossible to satisfy the request for a room for Father Brassard.” However, in the meantime, the Administration for Services to the Diplomatic Corps provided the French Embassy with a new apartment which was leased in the names of Fathers Thomas and Brassard jointly and on that basis the OVIR registered Father Thomas on March 17 for residence in Moscow. That registration is currently valid until June 1950.

Father Brassard now having received this residence registration, the Embassy contemplates renewing its representations to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the Roosevelt–Litvinov Agreement with a view to obtaining authority for him to conduct services and to utilize the Church of St. Louis for that purpose. However, meanwhile, the Embassy is informed by the French Embassy that the Soviet authorities have refused to renew the residence permit of Father Thomas, Father Brassard’s French colleague, and the French Ambassador² has made both oral and written representations protesting that refusal. The French Ambassador believes that the desire of the Soviet authorities to send a bishop to Paris gives him a certain leverage in regard to Father Thomas’ registration and that, although no action has yet been forthcoming, it is possible that Father Thomas’ status may be satisfactorily arranged.

It seems evident that the Soviets are probably endeavoring to maneuver so that Father Brassard will in fact replace Father Thomas, the presumed advantage to them from such a development being that Father Brassard is not qualified, as is Father Thomas, to preach in Russian. In the circumstances, the Embassy is, in agreement with Fathers Brassard and Thomas and the French Ambassador, proceeding cautiously in the matter of Father Brassard to avoid facilitating Soviet achievement of this substitution.³

Walworth Barbour

1. Despatch 193 from Moscow on February 21, p. 1108.
2. Yves Chatigneau.
3. In despatch 32 from Moscow on August 10, not printed, the Embassy advised that there had been no change in the status of Father Brassard despite its “repeated further oral representations.” The question of the use of the Church of St. Louis des Français for the holding of services was said to be “under continuing consideration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Cults.” (861.413/8–1050)