File No. 763.72119/1455
The Ambassador in France ( Sharp) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 12, 3.65 p.m.]
3327. Joint telegram from the Allied ministers at Jassy, dated March 9:
[Page 766]Germany considering Roumania as henceforth at her mercy formulates demands more and more exorbitant in proportion as they are satisfied. The frontier rectification asked on certain points of the Carpathians will now be much more extended. If this territorial condition, susceptible of revision in the future, only affects Roumania, it is to be feared that the enemy will demand others such as the delivery of war material which would prejudice the immediate interests of the Allied Powers. An interview of this morning between General Berthelot and the President of the Council seems to justify some apprehension.
In order to avoid this danger, the only loop-hole was [should be?] tried, that of provoking if possible a desperate resistance without, however, taking the direct responsibility. We ask for the authorization to declare that, in case of delivery to the enemy of Roumanian war material or Russian material abandoned in Roumanian territory, we may solicit urgent instructions from our Governments concerning the attitude to observe toward Roumania. In view of the extreme urgency we ask from now that it may be understood that this attitude may imply, if not the rupture of diplomatic relations, which would be playing the enemy’s game, at least the recall of the heads of missions and the complete isolation of Roumania at the general peace conference. As regards the Russian war material, we have collectively notified the Roumanian Government that this material, not having been paid for by Russia, must be considered as the property of the Allied Powers who ceded it to her.