Memorandum from Secretary of State Edward Stettinius to President Harry S. Truman

Retress to THE SECRETARY OF STATE WASHINGTON April 22, 1945 MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT Subject: Points to be raised with Mr. Molotov At your first interview with Mr. Molotov you may care to touch ARCHIVES RECORDS upon the following points: SERVICE" BOVERNMENT 1. Make clear to him that it is your intention to carry on President Roosevelt's policy of collaboration and the development of friendly relations with the Soviet Union on the basis of principles to which both nations have subscribed. 2. Your earnest hope and that of the Government of the United States that while Mr. Molotov is in Washington he will be able to work out with the Secretary of State and Mr. Eden a satisfactory solution of the Polish question in accordance with the Crimean decisions. The suggestions contained in the joint message you and the Prime Minister sent to Marshal Stalin constitute a promising first step beyond which this Government could not go without departing from the letter and spirit of the Crimean decision. The people of the United States are watching with greatest concern the manner in which the Crimean decision on Poland is to be carried out, and failure of the three governments to reach an honest and just solution of this problem would have a serious and adverse effect on the whole movement of international collaboration inaugurated by President Roosevelt and Secretary Hull. 3. The United States, British, and Chinese Governments find them- selves in agreement on a number of points relating to procedure at the San Francisco Conference, but so far the Soviet Government has not found it possible to agree to these suggestions. You might care to express the hope that while he is in Washington Mr. Molotov will be able to work out with the Foreign Ministers of the other sponsoring powers these open points which relate to (a) Chairmanship of the Conference, (b) The attendance of White Russian and Ukrainian Delegations, (c) The proposed organization of Commissions. 4. You might care to tell Mr. Molotov that this Government has been seriously disturbed over its inability of its diplomatic representatives toproceed to Czechoslovakia and express the hope that this question can be settled while Mr. Molotov is in Washington.