The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-09-08


Edison better relations
between the United States and So
Wet Russia, right from the time
he took ONCE In 1888, when he rec
commended American diplomatic rec
ignition Of the U. 8. 8. r.
It is laighlighted by lttle-known
disclosure that in January, l94l,
Secretary Hull, receiving inforn1a-
ton that Hitler intended to attack
Russia In eIay Of that year, asked
Undersecretary Sumner Welles to
pass that information on to the So
Wet government. For reasons known
only to the Soviet government, this
warning was not accredited at the
til le. Actually, Germany attacked
Russia on June az, 1871, making
the American warning a month on
but even so, It is difilcult to see
how this kind Of cooperation can
be interpreted as an act Of un-
friendliness or manifestation OF
a desire to see Russia bled white
particularly when the United States
was not In the war itself at that
time.
On he Sunday morning when the
Nazi army invaded Soviet territory
Hull telephoned the State Depart
ment to urge his associates to brush
aside all narrow-n1inded individuals
and agitators who might want to In
terfere with Russian self-defense,
and to make clear that the official
position OF the American govern
ment was to back Russia whole
heartedly from start to finish.
AID TO RUSSIA
This attitude was apparently car
ried out all through Hull's later eff
forts to increase aid to Russia. In
August, 1871, when Soviet Arnbassa-
dor Constantine A. Oumansky called
at the State Department to present
Soviet General Golikov, who came
to make q statement on the applica-
ton OF his government for increased
military supplies, Hull offered to re-
double his efforts TO aid In speeding
the delivery Of implements Of war
which Russia had specially re-
quested.
A month later, at o press confer
ence, Hull reiterated that the Amer
lean government was planning not
only an increase Of aid but an in
crease OF speed In getting aid TO
Russia. And on Dec. II, four days
after Pearl Harbor, Hull issued an
other statement to reinforce the de-
termination to aid the Soviet Union.
I'VE for our part" said the state.
ment, "have no doubt that the gov
eminent and people Of the U. s. s.
r. will do their full part IN stand
ing side by side with. all liberty low
ing people, against the common
menace"
A year after the Nad invasion
OF Soviet Russia. Hull sent message
to the Soviet Commissar for For.
eign Affairs, Molotov, assuring him
that during the coming year aid
to Russia would pour forth "in an
ever widening stream, until Anal
victory has been achieved"
In a conversation with Ambassa-
dor Iitvinov in March, 1e43, Secre-
tary Hull pointed out the need for
the four big nations, Russia, Great
Britain, China and the United
States, as we'll as all the United
Nations, to stand together during
the war as we'll as after the war,
since no two Of them would be able
to control the postwar situation,
except for a brief time at best. In
this conversation, Hull also fore
saw that inevitably troublemakers
and agitators would try to stir up
dissensions behind the military
lines.
TROUBLEMAKERS
Hull's fears on this matter were
to materialize sooner than he
thought. He repeated to Litvinov
his plea for greater cooperation be-
tween the U. s. and the U. S. s. r.
in May. emphasizing that the mis-
understandings and suspicious could
be cleared up, though 1t might re-
uuire a little effort OH the part OF
the officials and leaders of each
country. When, shortly thereafter,
the Soviet abolished the Communist
International, Hull greeted that act
of friendliness as welcome news.
Then Litvinov left Washington In
June, and Hull issued broad in
vitation to the Soviet Charge DAT
fairs, Andrei A. Gromyko, to call on
the secretary or other officials Of the
department during the ambassadors
absence on any occasion when help
could be given.
On Aug. q, however, Hull was to
ask Gromyko, now his country's am
bassador, to call at the State De-
partment so that the secretary might
discuss the harmful effect on un-
informed people Of the published
charges that he was anti Soviet
and that he desired TO see Rus
STA "bled white. The same day.
at his press conference. Secretary
Hull branded this sort Of trouble
making publicity based on deliberate
falsshood as having the effect OF
aiding the enemy.
To Gromyko. Secretary Hull add.
ed that both ofsicials and both gov
eFnments. particularly those de.
partments handling foreign AFFAIRS,
knew that everything possible was
being done 10 promote and preserve
friendly relations. and TO carry for.
ward on this basis IN the prOsecu-
ton Of the war.
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