860C.01/6–1445: Telegram
The Chargé to the Polish Government in Exile (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 14—5:30 p.m.]
Poles 67. Your June 13.5 I have discussed Zakowski’s refusal to go to Moscow with Mikolajczyk and also with Ambassador Winant.
Mik states Brit yesterday wired Clark Kerr suggesting that Popiel be selected in Zakowski’s place. Mik says if this is impracticable, he thinks it preferable that only he and Stanczyk proceed to Moscow from London but if the Soviets seek to include Kolodzeij, this will not deter them from going. Mik states, however, that a far more serious setback has occurred. Witos is reported to have stated orally to the Soviet official who delivered the invitation to him that while he regarded it as the duty of every patriotic Pole to accept such an invitation he was personally not well enough to travel to Moscow. Mik understands that Clark Kerr has consequently suggested that it may be necessary to fall back on Archbishop Sapieha.
Mik states he would regard Sapieha’s presence as desirable but this would not solve his own problem. If Witos could not be present, there would as matters now stand be no member of the Peasant Party from inside Poland with whom he could consult. This would produce a serious situation for him. The question might then arise whether he truly represented the views of the Peasant Party inside Poland. Kowalski, one of the Lublin representatives, formerly Secretary of the Agricultural Section of the Comintern and now claiming to be the Secretary of the Peasant Party, might deny that Mik represented the real views of the party since he had not been in the country and might claim that he (Kowalski) did represent those views. Kowalski could not, however, take such a position with Witos or a suitable representative of the party from inside Poland.
In the circumstances, Mik proposes that he be assured of an opportunity to go to Tarnow to consult with Witos before he takes any [Page 341] final decisions in the consultations at Moscow and that Kiernik, a Peasant Party leader, be invited to participate in the conversations if Witos cannot be present. Mik states that if there is objection to his going to Poland to consult with Witos, he desires to insist that Kiernik be invited to take part in the Moscow conversations. He does not see how there could be objection to his seeing Witos if the reason for Witos’ non-participation lies in considerations of health. Alternatively, if it is not considered practicable to invite Kiernik, then Mik insists on being allowed to consult with Witos before taking any final decisions in Moscow. In short, he would like both things but must insist on one.
Mik states that there is a further reason why he must consult the party inside Poland. He recalls that when Witos was taken from his home late in March and offered participation in the Lublin Govt, he replied that before taking a position he had to make certain conditions, namely, that he must have the opportunity to consult the Peasant Party and that Mik must be in the Govt (my 55, May 4 to Dept, 158 to Moscow6). Mik points out that if Witos with his great prestige refused to take a position without consulting his party, Mik naturally cannot lay himself open to the charge of ignoring the party and the country.
Kiernik is understood to have been arrested (my 56 to Dept, 162 to Moscow, May 67). He was, however, not one of the 16 arrested leaders and his arrest so far as I know, has never been made public by the Soviet authorities.
In view of these developments and the necessity for time to consider Mik’s proposals, the departure of Mik and Stanczyk which was fixed for June 15 has been delayed.
Sent Dept as Poles 67; repeated to Moscow as 201.
- Telegram Poles 19 to London, p. 337.↩
- Not printed; it reported on a message which Mikolajczyk had received from Poland regarding a meeting between Wincenty Witos and representatives of the Polish Provisional Government (Lublin Poles) (860C.01/5–445).↩
- Not printed; it reported on information which Mikolajczyk had received from Poland regarding the arrest of Polish non-Communist leaders including Kiernik (860C.01/5–645).↩