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2 : . STANDARD FORM No. 64 Office Memorandum ¢ UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT 18, 1948 R363 Es TO : THE DIRECTOR fof FROM : OD. M. LADD LS ! ae a f q ier? Clegg , SUBJECT: OPEN LETTER TO STALIN aay ss x Kv ur ian | CAEZ7/ pysercserey ace I called at the office of UnderSddedta ert Lovett of the ae rs State Department at 2:30 p.m. today in accord with the suggestion of the Attorney General. Mr. Lovett stated he had a set of circumstances which irs Nease he wanted to report which might show some prior knowledge on the part of mies cenay ——— Mr. Wallace of the exchange of notes between the United States Gove nt and the Russian Government. Mr. Lovett referred to Sergeant James cMillin, Jr. who had been a code clerk in the United States Embassy in Moscow and who recently defected and turned himself over to the Russian officials. Mr. Lovett stated that McMillin had been alone in the code room at night. He further stated that the State Department had sent a message to Ambassador Smith in effect instructing Ambassador Smith to tell Stalin that, first, the United States didn't want war and secondly, that the United States would not, however, be pushed around. The Ambassador wired back agreeing with the message and then advised that he had conferred with Molotov who had been unusually polite and friendly. The message going to Ambassador Smith was sent on May 4. Ambassador Smith had seen Molotov at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 9. ‘The message from Ambassador Smith to the State Department had left Moscow at 1:00 a.m » Monday, May 10, and reached the Depart— ment of State in Washington on Monday, May 10, 3:43 a.m. It was a top secre, eyes only, message. Mr. Lovett stated that subsequently on Monday evening,- May 10, between 8:00 and 9:00 p.m. the Moscow radio broadcast excerpts Prom the exchange of notes. London picked this up and CBS first put any referante to the exchange of notes on a news cast at 9:00 Pelties Monday, May 10. It was carried at 11:00 p.m. on the same night. QECORDLL 2 Be a 6% yh g-loF Mr. Lovett stated that from harm Bre Mhformation-is Hob deson only. He states that he had learned that'Wir. Wallace had scheduled a large meeting for Tuesday night, May 11, at Madison Q Garden, ‘that’ scriétime between midnight Monday and the time of the me ing, Mr. Wallace had had printed and distributed his open letter in order that it would be in the hands of all persons attending his meeting on Tuesday night, He stated, ae i; ssf | that if it can be shown that Wallace's letter was printed prior to the or the Moscow broadcast, it would indicate that possibly Melfillin, co ea Qa tipped off the Russian Government, who could have communicated directly or a draft of his proposed open letter after the release of the notes. Mr. Lovett 2:00 ollie Monday, May 10, which was the first time the information concerning the exchange of notes was mentioned on the American radio. He Suggested, therefore, that it might be worthwhile:to mke some inquiry as to the Place of printing of the so-called open letter, it being understood that about 20,000 copies were printed. In connection with this matter, Mr. Lovett further mentioned that