In addition to these arrests, a pattern of harassment of Legation staff members has been increasingly evident, particularly over the past two months. American members of the staff of the Legation, including the American Minister, have from time to time been placed under close surveillance with their every move being catalogued. As many as five of what have been clearly established to be agents of Hungarian security organs have been observed loitering in the near vicinity of the Chancery building at one time and on various occasions over the past month. That these persons represent security organs of the Hungarian Government has been confirmed beyond doubt by American Legation staff members. The persons in question have been seen to follow individuals leaving the Legation, to detain them and, in several instances, to conduct them to waiting automobiles, trucks, and taxis, in which they were transported away.

This molestation of visitors calling at the Legation has been particularly severe since the middle of May. Again, observation by American staff members indicates that the persons who have been thus molested and/or carried off exceeds one hundred at the least, with good grounds for believing that a very high percentage of all visitors to the Legation have been so treated during the past month.

46. HUNGARIAN INFORMATION ACTIVITIES IN THE UNITED STATES: Note From the Secretary of State to the Hungarian Minister at Washington, September 1, 19552

The Secretary of State presents his compliments to the Honorable the Minister of the Hungarian People's Republic and has the honor to refer to the dissemination of the publication "New Hungary" and to other information activities in the United States of the Legation of the Hungarian People's Republic.

The Minister is doubtless aware that the American Legation in Budapest has found it increasingly difficult to carry on information activities comparable to those carried on freely in the United States by the Legation of the Hungarian People's Republic. This situation has arisen because the Hungarian Government has adopted a repressive attitude toward the American Legation's information work in Hungary, already limited in scope, and has permitted the Hungarian police authorities to arrest arbitrarily and otherwise to harass local employees of the American Legation and to molest and intimidate local visitors calling at the Legation.

The Government of the United States considers these actions of the Hungarian Government as particularly regrettable at this time in view of the emphasis placed at the recent Geneva Conference on the development of contacts between East and West. The conduct of the Hungarian Government militates against the lowering of existing

1 Károly Szarka.

3

Department of State Bulletin, Sept. 19, 1955, pp. 459–460.

3 See supra, pp. 2005-2016.

barriers to cultural intercourse and the interchange of information and ideas between peoples for the establishment of a new and healthy atmosphere for the pursuit of peace. The Government of the United States has exercised the utmost patience in awaiting the Hungarian Government's response to its note of July 1' requesting a satisfactory explanation or remedial action with respect to the matters in question. The Hungarian Government has made no reply, however, nor has it taken any steps to correct the situation which was the subject of this Government's just complaint. In these circumstances, the Government of the United States has reluctantly concluded that it has no alternative other than to invoke appropriate countermeasures and maintain them in force until such time as the Hungarian Government may be disposed to reconsider its actions and reestablish conditions permitting normal information activities by the Legations of the two countries.

The Secretary of State accordingly informs the Minister that the Legation of the Hungarian People's Republic is required to cease all information activities in which it is directly or indirectly engaged, including the dissemination of "New Hungary" and other publications, film showings, and photographic exhibits, in so far as these activities are conducted wholly or in part outside of the Legation premises.

This requirement is effective immediately.

G. POLAND

47. POLISH REPATRIATION ACTIVITIES IN GERMANY: Note From the American Embassy at Warsaw to the Polish Foreign Ministry, July 19, 1951 2

The Embassy of the United States of America presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and on instructions from the Government of the United States has the honor to reply as follows to the Ministry's note of June 13, 1951,3 concerning the termination of accreditation of the Polish repatriation mission in the United States zone of Germany.

As the Polish Government is aware, repatriation mission personnel are accredited to the United States High Commissioner for Germany who has the responsibility of determining the size of the mission on the basis of the number of displaced persons with which the mission is properly concerned. From July 1, 1947, to December 31, 1950, the Polish voluntary repatriates from the United States zone totaled 12,504. Of this number, only 410 volunteered for repatriation in 1950.

1 Supra.

2 Department of State Bulletin, July 30, 1951, pp. 173–174.

'Ibid., pp. 172-173.

Moreover, during the first 5 months of 1951 there were only 27 voluntary repatriations of Polish citizens from the United States zone.

There is no Polish displaced persons camp in the United States zone and only one International Refugee Organization repatriation camp at Griesheim near Frankfort. Thus, since the period of mass repatriation had clearly come to an end, the continued presence in the United States zone of eight Polish repatriation officials could no longer be considered necessary.

A procedure exists, in the absence of a Polish repatriation mission, for returning those few persons who might from time to time volunteer for repatriation to Poland. Arrangements in each case can readily be made by the Polish Military Mission at Berlin with the United States High Commissioner's office. This was pointed out to the chief of the Polish Repatriation Mission in the United States zone in a letter of May 16, 1951, from the United States High Commissioner's office requesting the withdrawal of the mission. The United States Ambassador at Warsaw also stressed in a conversation with the Secretary General of the Foreign Office on June 12, 1951, that facilities for Polish repatriation have not been terminated as arrangements for this purpose can readily be effected by the Polish Military Mission at Berlin, in agreement with the office of the United States High Commissioner.

Under these circumstances the United States Government categorically rejects the charge made by the Polish Government in its note of June 13, 1951, that American authorities in terminating the accreditation of the Polish mission in the United States zone of Germany are rendering impossible the repatriation of Polish displaced persons who wish to return to Poland.

Moreover, since the Polish Government continues to have the possibility of making arrangements for voluntary repatriates, there has been no violation of Polish rights under the United Nations General Assembly resolutions of February 12, 1946,2 and November 17, 1947, or under resolutions contained in the report of April 23, 1947, to the Council of Foreign Ministers.

The actual facts concerning the unwarranted charge of the Polish Government that American officials have hindered the repatriation of Poles are as follows:

1) United States officials have provided extensive logistical support to the Polish Repatriation Mission, including authorization for free train travel throughout the United States zone of Germany, facilities for vehicle registration and purchase of gasoline from United States Army supplies, United States post-exchange privileges and commissary privileges for the Chief of Mission.

2) No protest has ever been received from the Polish Mission that its activities in the repatriation of dependent persons resident in the

1 Not printed.

2 Resolution 8 (I); Resolutions Adopted by the General Assembly During the First Part of Its First Session (A/64), p. 12.

3 Resolution 136 (II); General Assembly, Official Records, Second Session Resolutions; (A/519), p. 44.

• Not printed.

United States zone of Germany were obstructed by United States zonal authorities.

3) The record shows that Polish representatives were free to visit International Refugee Organization camps as frequently as they wished, and that these visits often averaged three a week.

4) The Polish Repatriation Mission did not publish a periodical in Germany, but rather imported quantities of magazines and newspapers from Poland. The question of paper allocation and licensing therefore did not arise.

The Polish Government has included in its note various misstatements concerning United States statutes governing military service. The reference to the "law approved on April 13, 1951," was apparently intended to relate to Public Law 51, enacted June 19, 1951.1 Public Law 51 is essentially a continuation of the Selective Service Act of 1940 2 under which many thousands of legally admitted aliens fought for the freedom and survival of the allied nations, including Poland. The Polish Government's statement concerning "displaced persons as reserve manpower" is presumably directed at plans announced by the United States Secretary of the Army for the implementation of the Act of June 30, 1950,3 providing for voluntary enlistment of a limited number of aliens in the Regular Army of the United States. It would seem singularly inappropriate that exception to this law should be taken by the Government of Poland, many of whose present leaders have frequently and recently called attention to the brilliant feats of arms by Generals Kosciuszko, Pulawski, E. Bem," and Walter, and whose own national anthem is still the song of Dabroski's soldiers in Italy.

48. POLISH AND UNITED STATES INFORMATION SERVICES: Statement by the Department of State, August 9, 19519

The Polish Foreign Minister called in the American Ambassador Joseph Flack on August 8 and asked that the activities of the United States Information Service, including distribution of the English and Polish language wireless bulletins, film showings, and library functions, should be terminated as of that date. Since the Polish

165 Stat. 75.

2 Act of Sept. 16, 1940; 54 Stat. 885.

3 64 Stat. 318.

Tadeusz Kosciuszko (1746-1817) served in the United States as engineering officer (1776-1783), later resided in the United States as private citizen (17971798).

5 Count Kazimierz Pulawski (1748-1779) served in the United States as a cavalry officer (1777-1779).

E. [Josef?] Bem (1795-1850), Polish General.

7 Walter [pseud. for Karol Swierczewski (1889-1947)], served in the Spanish Civil War and World War II, later an officer in the Polish Government.

8 Probably Jan Henryk Dabrowski (1755-1818), who commanded the Polish

legion under Napoleon in Italy (1798-1801).

9 Department of State Bulletin, Aug. 20, 1951, p. 298.

Government insisted that this was final there was no alternative but to comply with this request.

The United States Government regards this action of the Polish Government as an entirely unwarranted interference with the free exchange of information between nations, an exchange which this Government is always ready to foster on a fair and reciprocal basis. It is recalled, moreover, how much the Polish people appreciated, ever since the United States Information Service was established at Warsaw, the services it performed. There is every reason to believe that these activities in the interest of a better understanding between peoples will be missed by the Polish nation.

The Polish Ambassador here has been summoned today and informed that the Polish Research and Information Service at New York must be closed within 24 hours.

49. POLISH AND UNITED STATES INFORMATION SERVICES: Note From the Secretary of State to the Polish Ambassador at Washington,' September 20, 1951 2

The Secretary of State presents his compliments to His Excellency, the Ambassador of Poland and has the honor to refer to the note which was delivered to the United States Embassy at Warsaw by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 14, 1951.3 This note protested the closing of the Polish Research and Information Service at New York, and also made certain charges against the United States Information Service at Warsaw.

The Government of the United States finds it difficult to believe that the Polish Government can seriously contend that the action of the United States in requesting the closing of the Polish Research and Information Service was a baseless and illegal reprisal.

The Polish Government will recall that on August 8, 1951 the Polish Foreign Minister received the United States Ambassador at Warsaw and delivered a note protesting the proposal by the United States Government that the 1931 Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Consular Rights 5 be amended by the elimination of Article VI of that treaty. It was at the conclusion of this interview that the Foreign Minister demanded the closing of the United States Information Service office at Warsaw.

It is of interest that the Polish Embassy at Washington in a press release issued on August 10, 1951, also clearly linked the two subjects of the proposal to terminate Article VI of the 1931 Treaty and the closing of the United States Information Service office at Warsaw. These two subjects, so closely connected in time and in the actions of the Polish Government, can, therefore, hardly be unconnected in

1 Jozef Winiewicz.

2 Department of State Bulletin, Oct. 22, 1951, pp. 652–653.

3 Ibid., pp. 651-652.

See statement of Aug. 9, 1951, by the Department of State; supra. 5 Treaty of June 15, 1931; 48 Stat. 1507.