COPY
 
          THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE
               WASHINGTON
 
 
                              February 23, 1942
 
Dear Harry:
 
     I have made no change whatever in this message and I am consequently returning it to you 
 
for the President's files.
 
     I handed a copy of it this afternoon to Mr. Litvinov who assured me that he would send it
directly to Stalin. I have transmitted the message through the Soviet Ambassador since in that
way it will reach Stalin much quicker than if we sent it through our own Embassy in Kuibyshev.
     Believe me
 
                         Yours very sincerely,
 
                              /s/ SUMNER WELLES
 
The Honorable 
     Harry L. Hopkins
          The White House.