840.00/6–249
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Deputy Director of the Office of European Affairs ( Thompson )
In the course of a conversation today with the Polish Ambassador,1 he referred to an announcement of the formation of the National Committee for Free Europe, Inc.2 He said that no exception could be taken to some of the particulars set forth in the announcement, but he quoted several sentences which he said he felt would be interpreted in Warsaw as implying plans for underground, intelligence, or subversive activities. He said he was distressed at the effect that this might have in Warsaw and in Moscow, indicating that this might lead to further repressive measures.
I said I had little information about the Committee other than the announcement which appeared in the papers today. I stressed it was entirely a private committee and that we did not know what their plans were. I pointed out however that there appeared to be two indications that the committee would not develop along the lines he had indicated, the first being the calibre of the people on the committee and the second being the fact that it was an open and above-board organization. I pointed out that it did not seem conceivable that operations such as he described could be carried on by such an organization.