860C.00/1–1547: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Smith) to the Secretary of State
99. Following is Embassy’s translation substance of note signed Molotov dated January 13 but received last night, January 14:
“In connection with your note of January 5, 1947, regarding the impending elections in Poland, I consider it necessary to inform you of the following.
“The Soviet Government cannot agree with the accusations contained in the note under reference against the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity of violating the obligations imposed on it by the decisions of the Yalta and Berlin conferences envisaging the holding in Poland of free and unfettered elections on the basis of universal suffrage, by secret ballot, in which all democratic and anti-Nazi parties will have the right to take part and put forward candidates.
“The Government of the USA advancing in its note of January 5, a series of accusations against the Polish Government, states that the basis therefor are reports coming to the American Government, and makes reference to the sole source of the information received—to the communication of the Vice Premier of the Polish Government, S. Mikolajczyk, who transmitted to the American Ambassador in Warsaw reports of the above character, which the American Government considered possible to reproduce in its note.
“In the note are repeated the accusations against the Polish Provisional Government contained in Mikolajczyk’s statement of repressive measures directed against certain members of the party he represents. In this connection, however, there are completely ignored widely known facts concerning the participation of certain of the members of Mikolajczyk’s party in the activities of underground [Page 408] organizations, who resort to every kind of threat, to violence, and to murder in order to interfere with the normal conduct of the electoral campaign for the Sejm.
“Among other things, numerous facts are known concerning bandit attacks on electoral districts, terrorization of electors with threats in respect of adherents of the government and of the democratic bloc and even a whole series of murders of members of the electoral commissions.
“In this situation, the Polish Government cannot remain indifferent and not undertake decisive measures with respect to the criminal elements who are endeavoring to disrupt the free and unfettered elections for the Sejm, even though certain members of Mikolajczyk’s party should be guilty in this.
“As is known, Poland suffered grievous years of German occupation, the consequences of which are still apparent at the present time both in the difficult economic conditions as well as in the difficulties in overcoming of the remnants of the banditry generated in the period of occupation of Polish territory by German troops.
“It is impossible also to ignore the criminal activities of fascist émigré circles endeavoring to base themselves on their underground organizations in Poland, particularly, having in view the connection of these underground organizations with the bandit elements who avail themselves of every kind of violence, even of murder of representatives of the Polish authorities and leaders of the democratic parties. In these circumstances the Polish Government would not be fulfilling its duty to the people if it did not take measures against these criminal elements to assure the conditions necessary for the holding of free democratic elections. To interfere with the carrying out of such measures would be inadmissible particularly on the part of foreign governments.
“In view of the foregoing, the Soviet Government does not perceive any basis for the taking of any such steps, as the Government of the USA proposes, with respect to the Polish Government in connection with the impending elections in Poland and thereby in this fashion bringing about interference in the internal affairs of Poland on the part of the powers who signed the Yalta and Berlin agreements.”
Dept please repeat Warsaw as Moscow’s 3.