Office of the Historian

361.1115 Kujala, Arthur J./41: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt)

Washington, December 13, 1939—4 p.m.

282. Your despatch No. 33, August 21.39 In your discretion you are authorized to address a note to the Foreign Office pointing out the apparent violations of the Litvinov pledge, such as delay in notification of arrest and in granting of permission to visit, and requesting on behalf of your Government an explanation therefor. If no explanation is received or if such is unsatisfactory, the advisability of lodging a strong protest at a later date will be considered.

Hull
  1. Not printed. Ambassador Steinhardt had proposed that “the Department may wish to give consideration to the advisability of making formal representations to the Soviet Government” because it was “doubtful that a more brazen case could be found.” (361.1115 Kujala, Arthur J./36)↩