Cablegram E138 WASHINGTON, 5 June 1943, 10.10 p.m.
Reference your 629. [1]
I am in general agreement with the views expressed which appear
very sound. There was danger of embarrassment in undertaking
representation but Australian Prime Minister's views appealed to
both Churchill and Roosevelt.
The essence of the situation is the need to act most prudently and
avoid trouble with U.S.S.R. The primary duty of our mission is to
maintain good relations with U.S.S.R. The duty of watching Polish
interests, though very important, is secondary.
You should send further wire to Officer along the lines of this
telegram. I have already warned him once [2], but he should be
constantly on the alert. Above all, he should not be influenced by
Bruce's over-enthusiasm for the Polish Government in London.
I would like your views as to appointment Minister which cannot
long be delayed. [3]
1 Dispatched 4 June. It repeated to Evatt Curtin's cablegram 5194
to Bruce, which advised that the Commonwealth Govt was disinclined
to use the services of Polish personnel in maintaining Polish
interests in the Soviet Union. The Polish Foreign Minister (Count
Raczynski) had earlier approached Bruce with a detailed proposal
for Polish support for the Legation in Kuybyshev, including
provision of Polish personnel and a back-up administrative
arrangement using the former Polish Embassy staff and records now
in Tehran (see Bruce's cablegram S116 of 2 June). Both cablegrams
cited in this note are on file AA:M100, June 1943.
2 Neither cablegram to Officer has been found.
3 The appointment of a successor to Slater as Minister to the
Soviet Union was in fact postponed until after the Australian
elections on 21 August and Officer continued to act as Charge
d'Affaires until J. J. Maloney (President of the N.S.W. Trades and
Labour Council) took up duty as Minister on 23 December. In the
meantime the Australian Legation had moved from Kuybyshev to
Moscow, where it opened for business on 16 August.
