874.00/8–2045: Telegram
The United States Representative in Bulgaria (Barnes) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:20 p.m.]
456. Assistant editor of Obbov Agrarian-wing newspaper, Zemedelsko Znate, has informed member General Crane’s staff that yesterday Obbov spoke to Znate staff about association with Americans, stating they should restrict contact to Constantine Poulos, correspondent Overseas News Agency, described by Obbov as “real friend FF and Communist”. Same source states Soviet Komandatura has granted Poulos permission enter any office or go anywhere at any time as Russians “are convinced that he is ideologically on their side”. I know that recently Obbov has been diligently “at work” on Poulos to convince him that FF excesses are unimportant in light of “great human task FF is seeking to accomplish” and that Obbov has assured Poulos that I am entirely under influence “Bulgarian Fascists”; that I deliberately misrepresent local situation Washington and misrepresent Washington’s views to Bulgarian Govt. Obbov has declared on several occasions during past few days he will have me “thrown out” of country within a month. Such unrestrained statements by man who is recognized by his own political associates as most venal character in Bulgarian politics since defeat in 1918 come as no surprise. I was warned 10 days ago by Regency Council and by friends high up in Foreign Office that Obbov, Yugov, Kostov and Dragoicheva, latter three all members of Communist Central Committee, were elaborating plans for “smear campaign” against me and so-called [Page 297] black reaction in the US to which reference is now made in the Bulgarian press every time views critical of FF expressed abroad.
Mission in friendly daily contact with Poulos. His material censored Caserta, not here.
Rptd Moscow as 234 and Caserta as 184.