- 5 -   
 
Mr. Stalin pointed out that the only two absolutely 
ice free ports in the north were Murmansk and 
Kaldalaksha.
 
          I told Mr. Stalin that my stay in Moscow must be 
brief. I wished to accomplish as much as possible in 
the short time which I had at my disposal. I asked 
Mr. Stalin whether he wished to carry on the conver-
sations personally or would prefer that I would discuss 
some of the details with other representatives of the 
Soviet Government. I said that, of course, I would 
prefer to confer directly with him but I realized he 
had a great many responsibilities at the moment. I 
told him that I had some personal messages from the 
President which I wanted to deliver at an appropriate 
time.
 
          Mr. Stalin replied, "You are our guest; you have 
but to command." He told me he would be at my disposal 
every day from six to seven. It was then agreed that 
I confer with representatives of the Red Army at ten 
o' clock that night.
 
          I reiterated to Mr. Stalin the appreciation of 
the people of the United States of the splendid re-
sistance of the Soviet Army and of the President's 
determination to do everything to assist the Soviet 
Union in its valiant struggle against the German 
invader.
 
     Mr. Stalin replied with an expression of grati-
tude of the Soviet Government.
 
     I told Mr. Stalin that I expected to interview