124.60C/102: Telegram
The Minister in Rumania ( Gunther ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6 p.m.]
231. Following from Biddle.
“17. Referring to your cable 973, September 18, 2 p.m. to Bullitt and relayed to me here.
1. At Cernauti and previous to his internment,19 Beck had tried to convey personally to all mission chiefs accredited to Polish Government substance of the following confidential despatches. However, Rumanian Minister for Foreign Affairs20 requested Beck to refrain from diplomatic receptions in the residence of the Polish administration in that they might be construed as political action. Moreover permission was politely refused Beck’s proposal to confer with mission chiefs at their respective hotels. Hence the following communiqué in effect was verbally and strictly confidentially conveyed to mission chiefs by members of Beck’s staff:
2. The Polish President and Government were obliged to [leave?] their country because of military actions and especially because of the latest Russian moves. The President and Government had temporarily taken up residence in a neutral and friendly country but this stay would be strictly temporary. The President and the Government intended going to France to a hitherto undesignated town which would have extraterritoriality.
There a new government will be formed according to the constitutional rights of Poland and will be entirely legal. (French Ambassador imparts his Government will approve this course.)
Moreover Beck in name of the President declared that the President and his Government considered that the mission chiefs accredited to President Moscicki and the present Government would be automatically accredited to the new Government here by their respective governments. Until the Polish Government is established in its new residence in France communication with it would be effected through the Polish embassies and legations in foreign countries.
3. Moreover during a chance meeting and in response to British Ambassador’s expression of willingness to remain in Rumania, Beck stated he would prefer that Ambassador leave Rumania and join new Government when established in France.
4. As of yesterday even Polish Ambassador to Rumania Razzinski can henceforth contact Polish President only with special permission from Rumanian Government in each case. Moreover Polish Government has been forbidden the right to send or receive coded messages.
5. Since under the most severe pressure and threats from Germany the Rumanian Government is unable to admit that Polish Government as such is in transit in Rumania I can perform no useful function here. [Page 679] Moreover a delay in my departure in order to accompany or follow the Polish Government to France might prove awkward and even dangerous for them and for the Rumanian Government.
6. In view of the foregoing and in line with the possibility pointed out in paragraph 4 of telegram 226 of September 19, 9 p.m.21 and since Rumanian Government is pressing that all mission chiefs accredited to Polish Government leave Rumania I deem it advisable to proceed to Paris at the earliest moment. Hence have reservations on outward express for morning of September 22 and if you perceive no objection I shall leave accompanied by my family and, if this is satisfactory, members of my staff (in view of political developments in this part of Europe and of refugee situation here transportation facilities are rapidly becoming more difficult). In this connection I should appreciate it if the Department would specify what members of my staff, clerks, as well as officers (including the two women clerks now temporarily assigned to Bucharest) are to accompany me.
The British and French Ambassadors both leaving here on 21 and 22.[”]