711.94114 Mail/11–1744: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in the Soviet Union (Kennan)
2694. Reurtel 4056, October 24. Please express this Government’s gratitude to the appropriate Soviet authorities for permission granted to send prisoner of war and civilian internee postal correspondence destined for Japan on Soviet vessels departing from West Coast. United States postal authorities contemplate routing mail in future by both Tehran and West Coast–Vladivostok routes in hope that use of the two routes will assure more expeditious arrival in Japan of mail dispatched from United States.
In view of the generally unsatisfactory prisoner of war and civilian internee mail situation between the United States and the Far East (Reurtel 3584, September 19) and in view of the time involved in transit, you are requested to explore with the Soviet authorities the possibility of obtaining their consent for the carriage of prisoner of war and civilian internee letter mail flowing between United States and Japan on lend lease planes flying from the northwest United States to points in Siberia. It is understood that this route is now used by Soviet authorities for the carriage of diplomatic pouches and war materials. It is assumed that there would be more space available on west-bound flights than on east-bound flights. It is hoped, however, that if Soviets consent to carriage of west-bound mail that space might be found for east-bound mail on east-bound planes carrying Soviet ferry pilots to northwest United States. United States prisoner of war mails to Far East average less than 200 pounds per week at present.
The practicability of a prisoner of war and civilian internee mail service between the United States and the Soviet Union for United States and Japanese prisoner of war and civilian internee mail would, of course, depend to a considerable degree upon the method by which such mail could be moved from the Soviet Union to Japanese-occupied territory. In view of the fact, however, that the Soviet authorities have undertaken to deliver mail originating in the United States to the Japanese authorities (Reurtel 1219, April 8), it is believed that [Page 1196] no difficulty would be encountered in the onward shipment of this mail from such points in Siberia as may serve as terminals for lend lease planes.
For your information Sweden and Switzerland have granted landing rights to United States Army Air Transport Command planes carrying United States and German prisoner of war and civilian internee letter mail free of charge in both directions between New York and Geneva and New York and Stockholm.
Department would appreciate receiving urgent reply.