Paris Peace Conf. 181.9202/34: Telegram
General Bandholtz to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
[Received August 22—11:30 p.m.]
19. Last night Archduke called upon Italian representative, said he was too excited at yesterday’s meeting to talk connectedly, that the Mission does not understand the Hapsburgs work only for best interest of Hungary, that he accepted office in order to lead his country up to the time of elections when the wish of his people will be sacred to him. He asked if yesterday’s statement was [inspired] from Paris [Page 649] or only the Mission’s opinion and was told that could not be answered. He then asked if it was inspired from Vienna and told he was wrong. He then wished to know if the Mission’s statement to him on yesterday was to be considered as an order and was told that it was up to him to consider and interpret it. It is believed tomorrow [now that] he does not intend to quit office unless given more emphatic instructions. At this morning’s session it was decided that the Roumanians must assist at once to organize 6,000 police for city [of] Budapest and that army for Hungary of 30,000 would be the basis for consideration. The undersigned called the Mission’s attention to the fact that up to date no report had yet been received from the Roumanians, that they had not taken a single step to comply with instructions sent them except that they were allowing some food to come into Budapest, and it was insisted that the Supreme Council be notified accordingly in today’s telegram. The question of individual and governmental claims will be a serious one and it will be impossible for this Mission to handle it with the means at its disposal. This would require [on] an estimate six officers each with an expert stenographer and a good interpreter, and suitable transportation for investigations. Claims and complaints are coming in daily in increasing numbers. The Supreme Council’s telegram relative to taking measures to prevent Roumanians exporting material from Hungary was received18 and read at the Mission’s meeting about noon. It will be impossible for the Mission with the force at its disposal to take preventive measures along the lines indicated and it would take such large force to make such action in an effective manner that it is not believed to be feasible. A suggested substitute would be to have officers with small detachments along the Tisza River, in Budapest and other important centers, with authority to begin and take the numbers of all cars, take a rough inventory of their contents, and demand that such as were manifestly in direct violation [of] instructions be returned to Budapest and then to charge Roumania on her reparation claims for everything discovered. In addition to this a list could be made of what Hungary had in the beginning and the Roumanians be held responsible for what was missing. An endeavor will be made to assign three officers from French and Italian detachments to that duty at once. Last night I entertained the Roumanian officials on a beautiful friendly footing, but their policy up to date has not changed one iota. It is understood that the courier service which has just been started is to be abolished. It would be of great advantage if a dependable courier service could at once be established.
- See HD–35, minute 4, vol. vii, p. 774.↩