Paris Peace Conf. 181.921/64
Report to the Interallied Military Mission Made by the Subcommittee Sent to Pecs on November 28, Returning December 1, 1919
1. The sub-committee consisting of:
- Lieutenant Colonel Chas. B. Moore, U. S. A.
- Captain Visbecq, French Army,
- Lieutenant Rogers, British Army,
- Lieutenant Martini, Italian Army, accompanied by
- Lieutenant Hardy, as Liaison Officer to the sub-committee
left Budapest on the night of November 28th, per written instructions contained in letter from the Interallied Military Mission signed by General Graziani, French Mission, President of the Day on November 28th. (Copy of both papers attached).79 Before departure, the committee sent a telegram, transmitted by the Hungarian authorities, to notify the Military Commander of Serbian Troops in Pecs, and the Civil Government (Serbian) of our arrival.
2. The sub-committee returned to Budapest, arriving on the morning of December 1st, without having accomplished the Mission given it in the written instructions referred to above, for the following reasons:
Both the Military Commander of Serbian Troops at Pecs and the Serbian Civil Governor at Pecs refused absolutely to receive the sub- [Page 730] committee as an official delegation, as they had received no instructions from their Government at Belgrade.
The sub-committee presented to both the Military Commander and the Serbian Civil Governor, the order of mission given by General Graziani. They recognized this document as official as far as we were concerned, but stated that they could not accept same as official on their part without instructions from their Government.
3. The impressions given the sub-committee were as follows:
- 1.
- That both the Serbian civil governor at Pecs, and the Military Commander of troops, anticipated the arrival of the sub-committee from the Interallied Military Mission at Budapest;
- 2.
- That both had received definite instructions from higher authority that they were not to discuss in any way, matters regarding the evacuation of Pecs, or the increase in police for the district, with the sub-committee sent by the Mission at Budapest;
- 3.
- The Serbian authorities refused to make any effort on their part to obtain the necessary permission to treat with the sub-committee regarding the evacuation of Pecs or increase in the local guards;
- 4.
- It seems that the Serbian authorities do not wish to recognize that the Military Mission of Budapest has any authority over any territory occupied by them at the present time, which may subsequently be assigned in the Treaty of Peace with Hungary.
4. While in Pecs, several civilians wished to come to the train occupied by the sub-committee, to report and discuss certain matters with the committee. The Serbian authorities refused to grant permission for these people to come to us.
The Committee wished to communicate the matters above referred to, to the Mission at Budapest by telephone, but the authorities refused to allow the committee to talk by telephone to Budapest, stating that it could not be done as the lines were down. This statement was incorrect as I had arranged for direct communication with Budapest up to the border and beyond.
I asked to send a telegram and they refused to allow me to send all information desired. The telegram sent was as follows:
“Pecs, 2:30 P.M. 29 Nov. 1919—General Graziani, French Mission, Budapest. Sub-committee has arrived in Pecs. Both Serbian Civil Governor and Military Commander state that they cannot discuss with sub-committee our order of mission at Pecs without orders from their Government. Awaiting orders from you in Pecs. Moore, Colonel.”
It was asked to communicate with the General, commanding the division in the occupied territory. This was also refused.
5. It is the impression of the sub-committee that the Serbians will evacuate Pecs, but without notice to the Military Mission at Budapest and not until they are quite ready to evacuate or are forced to evacuate [Page 731] Pecs. It was noticed in the railroad yard at Pecs that there were very few cars and I saw three locomotives where previously there had been more than a dozen. I noticed a train-load of coal and one of wood in the station which I was told, was destined for interior Serbia. One gentleman came to me, while going to the hotel, stating that requisitions were being made for his horses and cows. He requested that the Committee intervene for him. One official at Pecs whom I spoke to on the street told me that cattle, horses, etc.; also the small railroad on the property of the former Arch Duke of Hungary was being removed to the Serbian side of the line of demarcation. The infantry troops that were in Pecs and surroundings have been replaced by a cavalry regiment. The frontier has been reinforced by a number of Customs Guards, which were not in Pecs on my former visit, November 23rd. I was told that the tax of 20% on deposits in banks was to be enforced and that a day had been set, the 15th of December, by which this was to be paid. This latter was only mentioned in a casual conversation so I know of nothing definite in writing regarding the tax. On leaving, I wrote a letter and informed the Civil Governor and Military Governor that I would make a report to the four Generals and was leaving because the authorities at Pecs would not recognize the official capacity of the Mission without instructions from their government, therefore I could not stay without performing the Mission which had been assigned me. (Copy of this letter is attached hereto)80
Lt. Col. General Staff, U. S. A.