811.42761 SE/4–747: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Smith) to the Secretary of State
1222. 1. Embassy appreciates Justice Department’s interpretation Foreign Agents Registration Act, accords fully with purpose thereof and provides that protection for which Act was conceived. As it affects Soviet visitors, particularly those subject of cultural exchanges, it of course precludes giving Soviet Government absolute assurances it presumably desires, yet it could not give rise to any justifiable criticism in US or elsewhere providing Act is carefully and consistently applied.
Our inability to give such assurances may be used by Soviet Government as excuse for not entering into exchanges we seek, but that possibility should not be over-emphasized as in matters of this kind we believe such a consideration would not be determining factor with Soviet Government but rather a convenient out for that Government if it sought one. Following receipt of Department’s 207, February 10, I addressed letter to Vyshinski (reported in Embassy despatch 857, February 141) explaining in brief essence of Act. Assurances contained in that letter should prove adequate with respect to any sincere [Page 550] desire on part of Soviet Government to develop cultural exchanges with US.
2. I am now extending invitation to Soviet Government for visit of 50 Soviet scholars (Deptel 5, January 2 and Embtel 45, January 82) indicating requirement for reciprocity and fields of learning from which individuals to be selected. I am not proposing specific candidates by name as I believe it undesirable to afford Soviet Government opportunity (in improbable event it accepts our proposition) to select American scholars to visit USSR. Its selections would presumably tend toward politically sympathetic individuals who would not be truly representative of USA while on its own side Soviet Government can be counted on not to permit travel abroad of any person no matter how distinguished, whom it does not deem politically secure.