Paris Peace Conf. 763.72114/18: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
[Received January 3—8:20 a.m.]
64. Following undated telegram received direct from Budapest:
“To the governments of the Allied states, Washington. Immediately upon assuming the powers of government the Hungarian Democratic Government regarded as its foremost duty that of releasing all prisoners of war including the interned civilians of all nationalities and did all that lay in its power to send them back to their homes as speedily as possible. At this time there are only left on the territory of the Hungarian Republic those prisoners of war who of their own will are endeavoring to build up their happiness or expect on family grounds to thrive here, also invalids who on account of their grave condition and the present transportation difficulties cannot be removed. To these we are giving the best attention. The Russian Mission in Hungary is cooperating with the Hungarian Government in the relief of prisoners of war; it is endeavoring alike to ameliorate the condition and expedite as far as possible the repatriation of the Russian prisoners. The Hungarian Government proposed to the Government of the United States to send similar mission to Hungary with the duty of inquiring into the condition of their prisoners who are left here in rather trifling numbers and of assisting in their repatriation. The new Democratic Government of Hungary has declared consistently with its peaceable belief as soon as the armistice was discussed that it does not wish to carry on the war and ordered the Hungarian troops to lay down their arms. The Allied Governments need not fear that the Hungarian prisoners of war who return to their homes will again take up arms. The Hungarian Government imbued with ideas of humaneness and mutual atonement among the nations is convinced that nothing stands in the way of repatriating the prisoners. In letting their prisoners of war join their families and resume their peace-time occupations, the Allied states also rid themselves of a burden which they need not carry. The latest events of war have broken off all relations and in particular the correspondence of prisoners of war with their relatives, with special reference to those who were taken prisoners in the last stages of the war and the prisoners in Siberia. Relatives and children, do not know whether their nearest kinsmen are still alive. The Democratic Hungarian Government is [Page 210] convinced that the following propositions will be acquiesced in by the Governments of the Allied states. Let all prisoners of war send with the consent of the respective governments word to their families in postal cards with a printed text. Let also the families of the prisoners of war send word in the same manner. The printed text to be worded as previously agreed; for instance, I am in good health and doing well, would dispense entirely with the long drawn work of the censor. In-as-much as the exchange of invalid prisoners of war is already going on and as the Democratic Hungarian Government has already delivered all the prisoners that could stand transportation, it appeals to the humaneness of the Allied Governments to send theirs home as soon as possible. Further, referring to the untold sufferings caused by the long war, the Hungarian Government asks the Allied states to take the earliest possible measures towards sending all the prisoners of war home taking into account the time during which they were held prisoners. Owing to the transportation difficulties it would be desirable to send them home by sea by the way of Fiume. The Hungarian Government begs the Allied Governments kindly to consent to the immediate repatriation of interned civilians and the prisoners of war less than 18 and more than 50 years old. The Government of the Hungarian Republic hopes that its people now freed forever are no longer regarded as an enemy by any one and begs the Allied Governments kindly to alleviate the condition of all the Hungarian prisoners in a manner worthy of the greatness of the nations. Lastly and for the purpose of expediting as much as possible the imparting of information to the families of the prisoners and to themselves and also of recommending and according if need be proper treatment to the said prisoners of war, the Hungarian National Government asks the Allied Governments kindly to accredit to the states which hold prisoners of war relief committees whose field of action is sufficiently suggested by the name. The Hungarian Government is of opinion that the relief of prisoners of war in Siberia is particularly urgent under existing circumstances and since it cannot be sent over European Russia we beg the Governments of the Allies kindly to agree to the sending by sea of the above proposed mission by way of Vladivostok. The Hungarian Government is convinced that these requests which appeal to the humane sentiments of the Allies will be taken with favorable consideration by their governments and hopes it may begin at the earliest possible date to heal the wounds caused by the war. In the name of the Hungarian Democratic Government, Michel Karolyi, President of the Council.”
No reply has been made by Department.