763.72119/3215: Telegram

The Minister in Rownania ( Vopicka ) to the Secretary of State

133. This morning a message was sent to me with the King’s wishes to accept me in audience this afternoon at four o’clock. When I arrived there, the King expressed his thanks for the communication which came here by wireless, in which you, [Mr.] Secretary, are quoted as recognizing the situation of Roumania and favoring the union of all the Roumanians who live in the territory adjoining the Kingdom of Roumania.1 The King asked me to express his thanks to the President and to you, Mr. Secretary, for this good news to the Roumanians. After he said that, I answered that in recognition of that, Roumania should enter the war at once today and request the German army now in Roumania to capitulate, and by such action, aid and advocate to make the Germans accept all the conditions dictated by General Foch. I said that I had talked the matter over with our Military Attaché today at noon, who was of the same opinion as I regarding the matter. He said that this idea was a good one and he would at once consider it. We spoke over an hour together, and afterwards I spoke to Prince Stirbey, the King’s adviser, and I told him that this idea came to me only at noon and I had had no time to talk it over with my colleagues, as we have a meeting only tomorrow. He said that this suggestion was a good one, and he would probably call me and my colleagues within a couple of hours to a conference. And surely, at 7:30 in the evening, I was called with my colleagues to the past and future Prime Minister Bratiano, where he already had a note prepared for the German Government, of which a copy was sent in the telegram of the Allied Ministers, asking the Germans to surrender within 24 hours. The mobilization of the army was immediately ordered. About an hour after, I received telegram from Her Majesty the [Page 386] Queen of Roumania from Bicaz, her summer home, with request to communicate it to you. She says:

“I saw with the greatest satisfaction the message issued at Washington by Mr. Lansing, concerning the fulfillment of the aspirations of the Roumanian Nation. The terms of this message are what we have always expected from the noble American people and Mr. Wilson, their eminent President, who have entered this war for the rights and liberties of all nations, small and great, in order to establish a new order of things in this world on a humanitarian and righteous basis. Roumanian people have endured, for the accomplishment of their national ideal for which they are struggling, for centuries every sacrifice and suffering. I beg you to convey also on my behalf to the President and Mr. Lansing, my heartfelt thanks and those of the Roumanian women for their interest in the justice of the Roumanian cause. I must also thank you personally for the part you have taken in defending the Roumanian interests by contributing to make known in America, and for which the Roumanian peoples owe you sincere gratitude. Marie.”

Vopicka
  1. See Department’s telegram No. 283, Nov. 5, 1918, 5 p.m., Foreign Relations, 1918, supp. 1, vol. i, p. 785.