Office of the Historian
No. 704

601.4911/8–2451

Memorandum by the Secretary of State1

[Washington,] August 27, 1951.

Memorandum for the President

Subject: Presentation of Credentials by the Czechoslovak Ambassador

For some time the Department has planned to do some plain talking with the new Czechoslovak Ambassador, Dr. Vladimir Prochazka, about the Oatis case as soon as he becomes the recognized representative of his Government by presentation of his credentials to you. When he called on August 23 to request arrangements for such presentation, I informed him that I wished to have a thorough discussion of the Oatis case with him, in view of the very strong feelings of this Government about it, as soon as he presented his letter of credence.2

You may wish to consider addressing to the Ambassador, immediately after your formal remarks in reply to his in connection with the presentation of his letter of credence, some vigorous comment on the present state of relations between the United States and Czechoslovakia owing to the latter’s arbitrary treatment of American nationals within its borders as evidenced particularly in the Oatis case. The reply recommended by the President to the Ambassador’s formal remarks might provide an appropriate point of departure for comment of this kind.

Recommendation

That you comment along the following lines to the new Czechoslovak Ambassador:

“I wish to draw your attention to the aroused indignation of the American people and Government at the unjust treatment of Mr. Oatis. The adverse effects which this incident is having on the relations between the US and Czechoslovak must be already apparent to you. This situation presents an opportunity for you to accomplish something worthwhile in the improvement of those relations at the beginning of your work here. If nothing is done, you will find the situation on the coming increasingly difficult. Continued [Page 1405] inaction on the part of your Government can only lead to the further worsening of relations between our two countries.”3

Dean Acheson
  1. Drafted by Vedeler of EUR/EE and cleared by Deputy Assistant Secretary Bonbright and Assistant Secretary Perkins.↩
  2. The Secretary of State’s memorandum of his 5-minute courtesy conversation with Ambassador-designate Procházka on August 23 is in file 601.4911/8–2351.↩

  3. Ambassador Procházka presented his credentials to President Truman at the White House on August 28; for the text of the formal remarks exchanged on that occasion, see Department of State Bulletin, September 10, 1951, p. 416. After Ambassador Procházka’s presentation, Presidential Secretary Joseph Short held a brief news conference and issued a statement orally to the press substantially as follows:

    “In the conversation between the President and the Ambassador, the Ambassador said he hoped to make our relations more cordial. The President replied that the best way he could make our relations more cordial was to send our AP correspondent Oatis home.

    “The President further said that relations between our two countries had deteriorated ever since Jan Masaryk was murdered. Before that time, the President said, the relations between the United States and the Republic of Czechoslovakia had been wonderful. He mentioned the extreme friendliness of our political relations and the back-and-forth trade relations. But now, the President said, it looked as if our relations would be what they had been unless Czechoslovakia changed its policy.

    “The Ambassador made no response to his remarks.” (Ibid.)

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