Montana labor news., 1933-10-26

tHe ptoDitiuS tAistfhs bttMesH the "
formal recognition has not been accor
publics by the Washington government
welt invited President kalinin of the
here, and that Litvinov was proposed
can scarcely be received as a private
the map. He is foreign minister of a
Facing the biggest gathering of press
correspondents ever assembled at the
White House, Oct. 20, the President
ordered the doors of the room closed
and locked, in order that nobody should
leave until he had emphasized his de-
sire that they carefully read the text
of two letters which he was about to
distribute to them after reading aloud.
He said the letters covered the whole
matter, and that what he was announc-
ing was not recognition but a meeting
with the Soviet Commissar for For
eign Affairs for the purpose of dis
eussion of problems of concern to the
two nations.
Roosevelt first read his cabled let
ter of Oct. 10, to Mikhail Kalinin,
president of the All Union Central Ex-
eeutive Committee of the U. S. S. R.:
"Since the beginning of my admins
t~ration, | have contemplated the de-
STABILITY of an effort to end the pres
emf abnormal relations between the
125,000 900 people of the United
States and the 100, 900, 900 people of
Russia.
ut is most regrettable that these
great peoples, between whom a happy
tradition of friendship existed for
more than a century to their mutual
advantage, should now be without a
practical method of communicating
directly with each other.
"The difficulties that have created
this anomalous situation are serious
but not, in my opinion, insoluble; and
differences between great nations can
be removed only by frank, friendly
conversations. If you are of similar
mind, l should be glad to receive any
representatives you may designate to
explore with me personally all ques-
tions outstanding between our oun
tries.
Participation in such a discussion
would, of course, not commit either
nation to any future curse Of action,
but would indicate a sincere desire to
reach a satisfactory solution of the
problems involved. 1t is my hope that
such conversations might result in
good to the people of both our coun-
tries.
81 am, my dear Mr.. President,
Every sincerely yours,
"FRANKLIN d. ROOSEVELT"
The reply from President Kalinin,
dated Moscow, Oct. II, read:
81 have received your message of
October 10th.
81 have always considered most abb
normal and regrettable a situation
wherein, during the past sixteen years,
two great republics-the United
States of America and the Union of
Soviet Socialist Republics-have lack
ed the usual methods of communica-
ton and have been deprived of the
benefits which such communication
could give. | am glad to note that
you also reached the same conclu-
sion.
There is no doubt that Difficult
ties, present or arising, between two
countries, a be solved only when di-
rect relations exist between them;
and that, on the other hand, they have
no chance for solution in the absence
of Strah ralotiAnc chn11 fo1ra tkn
liberty to express the opinion that the
abnormal situation, to which you COR
rectly refer in your message, has an
unfortunate effect not only on the in
terests of the two states concerned,
but also on the general international
situation, increasing the element of
disquiet, complicating the process of
consolidating world peace and encour-
aging forces tending to disturb that
peace.
"In accordance with the above, |
gladly accept your proposal to send
to the United States a representative
of the Soviet Government to discuss
with you the questions of interest to
our countries.
"The Soviet Government will be
represented by Mr.. M. M. Litvinov,
Peoples Commissar for Foreign AT
fairs, who will come to Washington
at a time to be mutually agreed upon.
81 am, my dear Mr.. President,
Every sincerely yours,
"MIKHAIL KALININ."
Discussing this exchange of mes
sages with the press, Roosevelt made
plain that formal recognition was not
the issue now; what was vital was