Office of the Historian

122.48/3–750: Telegram

The Ambassador in Poland (Gallman) to the Secretary of State

confidential
Warsaw, March 7, 1950—5 p. m.

346. Embtel 267, February 24.1 The question of establishment of a consulate at Katowice was raised by us in July 1949 and approved by Department and presented to the Foreign Office by us in October 1949.2 For five months now we have been trying to get a definite answer from the Foreign Office only to be told repeatedly that the matter is under consideration. Foreign Office will probably let matter drag indefinitely. In any event, possibility of our getting favorable reply in the light of prevailing atmosphere is slight. Should we however get a favorable reply, then we must face the fact that it will be possible to do only very limited amount of work. Since we first raised question eight months ago, conditions in Poland have radically changed. Enactment of late secret act, spy trials and general intimidation of public make normal functioning today of a consulate at Katowice impossible. For same reasons probably only a limited amount of USIS work could be carried on. Then too, it is questionable whether suitable quarters can be found, and in this respect Polish Government would no doubt place obstacles in our way rather than be helpful

In view of all this, we do not think it is worthwhile to continue press Foreign Office. We suggest not to withdraw request but to let it rest, and when time is propitious in Department’s view, cite it to Polish Government with request that it reduce its consulates in the States to number we have here, two. Closing of Polish consulates in Pittsburgh and Detroit we still feel would hit Polish Government badly (Embtel 1489, November 14, 19493).

Gallman
  1. Not printed. It reported that a Polish Foreign Ministry official had informed the Embassy that no action would be taken on the American request to establish a consulate at Katowice until a review of Polish consulates abroad had been completed (122.48/2–2450).↩
  2. For documentation on the question of the establishment of a consulate at Katowice, see Foreign Relations, 1949, vol. v, pp. 499 ff.↩
  3. Not printed.↩