Paris Peace Conf. 181.9202/25: Telegram
General Bandholtz to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
[Received August 21—1:21 a.m.]
16. The American representative presided at today’s session. The Hungarian Minister of War discussed plans for reorganizing the Hungarian Army and was told to reduce same to writing and forward to Commission with least practicable delay. General Mardarescu the Roumanian Commander in Chief and M. Diamandi Roumanian High Commissioner accompanied by General Rudeanu, who in the future is to represent the Roumanian Government at meetings of the Mission, were introduced and were informed that although they had [Page 645] been requested on the 16th to take action along certain lines and to report daily progress, only one report had been received which covered only a fraction of the various subjects to be handled and that the Mission had no information that the Roumanian Government was complying with its request, but that on the contrary it had proof that the promises of the Roumanian Government had not been kept and that seizures and exportations were continuing. General Mardarescu made most evasive answers and was finally pinned down to replying in detail to the subject matter of the letter referred to: see my telegram No. 8 of August 16th. As regards subparagraph a he stated no requisition[s] had been made that were not absolutely necessary for the field use of the Roumanian Army and was informed that the undersigned had personal and positive knowledge that such was not the case and in particular that a large quantity of delicate instruments connected with the Bureau of Posts and Telegraphs had been removed and that he could be shown where hundreds of carloads of material not necessary for the Roumanian Army were waiting until the bridge over the Tisza River was completed in order to send them to Roumania. He finally promised to take this matter up and to carry out the Mission’s instructions. As to subparagraph 6 there has been small progress, the map submitted being practically valueless. As regards subparagraph c he admitted that steps had not yet been taken, but would have the matter looked into at once. As to subparagraph d he made a like promise. As to subparagraph e he stated it might be necessary to requisition buildings to meet emergency and was told that any such [matter] could be amicably settled with the Commission. As to subparagraph f he promised to have the matter taken up and like action with regard to subparagraph g. In general he promised to send in the future a daily report covering each of the above paragraphs. M. Diamandi requested that a Roumanian officer attend all sessions of the Mission whenever matters of importance were discussed with Hungarian officials. He was given no answer to this and the Commission decided to use its own judgment in the matter and simply report same without recommendation to the Supreme Council. In the afternoon General Rudeanu called upon the undersigned and stated that beginning with today a new leaf would be turned over and that I would find the Roumanians most anxious to cooperate with the Mission in every respect. He appears to be far more intelligent than either General Mardarescu or General Holban. It is understood that the British Mission in Paris looks with more favor on the Roumanians than formerly. The meeting of the Mission was most harmonious.