760c.61/224A: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Poland ( White )18

363. You may deliver the following note to the Polish Minister for Foreign Affairs.

“The Secretary of State has the honor to acknowledge on behalf of the President of the United States the gratifying message from Premier Witos of August 1st (July 31],19 expressing the Polish Government’s deep and sincere gratitude for America’s help and continued sympathy extended to Poland. In a note under date of August 10th, from the Secretary of State to the Italian Ambassador,20 a copy of which you have no doubt received, the Government of the [Page 392] United States reiterated its friendship for Poland as well as its earnest solicitude for the political and territorial integrity of Poland.

The United States applauds the steadfast gallantry of the Polish Army in its defense of Warsaw and is sympathetic with all necessary measures which Poland may take to preserve its political and territorial integrity. This Government, however, urges that every reasonable effort be made to terminate the present bloodshed. It could not approve the adoption of an offensive war program against Russia by the Polish Government.

The American Government is of the opinion that the Polish advance into Russia tended to create a National sentiment in that country, which ignored the tyranny and oppression from which the people suffered and afforded an undeserved support to the Bolshevik regime, which enabled its leaders to embark upon the invasion of Polish territory.

To prevent a recurrence of the present situation, the United States Government believes that the Polish Government might well take the opportunity afforded by the favorable turn of events to declare its intention to abstain from any aggressions against Russian territorial integrity; to state that its policy is not directed against the restoration of a strong and United Russia, and that pending a direct agreement as to its Eastern frontier, Poland will remain within the boundary indicated by the Peace Conference.

This Government fully appreciates the difficulties and dangers which attend dealings with the Bolsheviki, as was emphasized in the note to the Italian Ambassador, but it believes that the most effective method of combating the efforts of their negotiators would be the exhibition of real moderation by Poland and the insistence only upon such terms as are essential to the safety, the full sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the Polish state.”

Colby
  1. Text of note repeated Aug 27, 4 p.m., to the Chargé in Great Britain (no. 919) for informal communication to the British Government and to be repeated to the Ambassadors in France (no. 1407) and Italy (no. 161) for similar action (file no. 760c.61/264a).
  2. See note of July 31 from the Polish Minister, p. 385.
  3. Post, p. 463.