CHURCHILL, Clementine S.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Typed letter signed, on an issue arising from her work leading the Aid to Russia Fund. A wartime letter sent by Clementine from Downing Street concerning a minor diplomatic misunderstanding between the British Foreign Secretary, Anthony Eden, and the Soviet Foreign Minister, Vyacheslav Molotov, over a proposal to establish a British-funded hospital in the Soviet Union.Clementine, chair of the Aid to Russia Fund (founded in 1941), played a leading role in organizing medical relief to the USSR and travelled there to strengthen Anglo-Soviet ties. Writing to clarify the situation, she notes that Molotov's reply appeared not to take account of her second cable, raising concern that the British offer might seem to have lapsed: "I would not like the Russians to think that, having made the suggestion of a hospital, we were cooling off". She proposes a meeting with Lord Iliffe and Sir Arthur Abrahams to resolve the matter.The letter is addressed to "Mr Donaldson" and stamped "Received in A.S.E. Registry" - the recipient is presumably Ian Donaldson of the Allied Supplies Executive.Provenance: the collection of Steve Forbes, chairman of Forbes Magazine, and presidential candidate in the 1996 and 2000 US elections.

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