Office of the Historian

165. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State0

Moscow, September 9, 1960, 9 p.m.

713. In reviewing my cables on Khrushchev conversation1 I find following points not covered.

In disclaiming any intent to use force for spread of Communism Khrushchev observed that of course once a revolution took place Soviets would give assistance to govts representing working class.

With respect to Powers trial he mentioned statement made by American lawyer (presumably Hallinan)2 on justice of trial.

In discussing conviction that Soviet would overtake US by 1970 Khrushchev made clear this included consumers goods such as textiles.

Khrushchev disavowed any intention of interfering in our elections. He knew he had been criticized for attacks he had made on President (not clear whether he was referring to world press or to remarks I had made to Kosygin).3 He asked however how he could have received President. He said “If someone comes to visit you and you catch him redhanded throwing a dead cat over your fence, you could not respect yourself if you received him as an honored guest.”

Thompson
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.61/9–860. Secret; Limit Distribution.↩
  2. Documents 162, 163, and 164.↩
  3. The Soviet Government invited Vincent Hallinan, Progressive Party candidate for President in 1956, to observe Powers’ trial in Moscow. TASS, the Soviet press agency, quoted Hallinan as having said the Powers’ trial was absolutely fair. (The New York Times, August 19, 1960)↩
  4. Reference presumably is to a conversation Ambassador Thompson had with Khrushchev and Aleksei Nikolaevich Kosygin, First Deputy Prime Minister, on the U–2 incident on June 30, in which Khrushchev criticized the President’s handling of the incident. When Khrushchev left the meeting, Thompson told Kosygin that further criticisms “of this nature would have effect in US far beyond anything which I believed they intended. Kosygin made no significant reply but appeared embarrassed.” (Telegram 3282 from Moscow, June 30; Department of State, Central Files, 761.5411/6–3060)↩