Paris Peace Conf. 181.9202/201: Telegram
General Bandholtz to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
[Received October 21, 1919—10:36 a.m.]
167. Polk from Bandholtz. Telegram reference to duties of Sir George Clerk received56 and promptly communicated to each member of the Mission and received with great satisfaction.
The Roumanians have again been notified this date that disturbances occurring along neutral zone of line of evacuation must be investigated and handled by Mission’s army organization committee. Letter was received from General Mardarescu requesting that Roumanian officers be given free access museums for the purpose of selecting Roumanian documents, etc. He was informed that Roumanians could cooperate along these lines with the Mission’s committee on museums. A reply was received this date from General Mardarescu to the Mission’s request to continue with the evacuation of Hungary and to proceed at once with withdrawal from Budapest. He replied as follows:57
“Concerning the second point of your note of October 15, 1919,58 I have the honor to inform you verbally and in writing, that the Roumanian Command maintains its liberty with respect to operative questions, conforming entirely to the orders which it receives from General Headquarters. The Commander of the Transylvanian Troops, General Mardarescu.”
A letter was therefore sent him inviting attention to fact that Mission’s request was strictly in accord with its instructions from the Supreme Council, that he had previously stated that Mission was recognized as representing Supreme Council and that present action of Roumanian General Headquarters could be interpreted only as indicative of an intention on their part to no longer give this Mission its proper recognition and informing him that the Supreme Council would be notified accordingly.
On Saturday evening about 7:30 o’clock several Hungarian officials dashed into my office with the information that Roumanian company was en route to Government House to seize Friedrich. I went personally with one soldier and guarded the house while Lieutenant Hamilton went for a corporal and three men; on arrival they were placed as guards over the building. I then advised the President of the Day General Mombelli of action taken and he notified Roumanian [Page 706] Commander that the government building was under Interallied military protection. American guard was relieved today by British guard. After each Mission has furnished one guard detail the guards will be relieved as it is believed they will be no longer necessary. On 18th instant the Roumanian Seventh Infantry Division was proceeding thru Szolnok in easterly direction. On same date one regiment of Second Rifles Division was proceeding in same direction. Also on 18th the Sixth Division began to move from Czegled toward Szolnok and is believed to have an eastern destination. The First Rifles Division is moving into Budapest. On the 19th instant move [most] of the Roumanian troops of [on] west bank of Danube moved to east bank. General Mardarescu has been informed that he had promised to inform the Mission of any proposed evacuation and that such movements were believed to be of such a nature as to have rendered it advisable to advise this Mission of same.
A report received this date from Colonel Sheldon of the American Army corroborates in general the report of the Swiss Captain Burnier of the International Red Cross as to conditions in Roumanian prison camps at Arad, and Roumanian Commander has been requested to promptly arrange with the Hungarian Government for the release of Hungarian officer prisoners of war at Arad. Colonel Sheldon is continuing his investigations at other camps.
- Appendix C to HD–72, vol. viii, p. 698.↩
- The following paragraph appears in French in the original; translation supplied by the editors.↩
- Ante, p. 703.↩