864.00/10–1745: Telegram
The Representative in Hungary (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:50 p.m.]
779. Tildy sent me word this morning that Marshal Voroshilov in conversation with him yesterday at Marshal’s request expressed apprehension of “civil war” and said that disturbances reported from various parts of the country caused him concern. He suggested very courteously to Tildy that latter confer with other party leaders regarding expediency of setting up common electoral list for national election calculated to minimize political tensions and to assure peaceful solution of country’s pressing problems economic and political. Following this very friendly intimation Tildy consulted with Rakosi and Szakasits and came to tentative agreement under which common [Page 892] list would be set up with support of minor non-Marxist parties giving Smallholders 51 percent majority in National Assembly after election November 4. Peasants Social Democrats and Communists would thus accept minority role but Tildy says this minority would be further decreased by probable split in Social Democratic Party many of whose mandates would adhere to non-Marxist majority.
This morning also Ferenc Nagy visited me with Bela Varga28 and Bela Kovacs29 of Smallholders explaining there was real fear of serious disturbance on part of alleged armed Communist and Social Democratic workers in Budapest apart from more or less grave incidents which had lately taken place in various provincial centers all directed at demonstrating unwillingness of Marxist groups to accept unqualified non-Marxist control of list which would follow straight national election.
Smallholders party spokesmen tell me that matter of proposed common slate will probably be decided today and they have inquired with manifest anxiety whether election held on common slate basis would be well received in U.S. I have of course evaded direct answer to such inquiries and have spoken in general terms of our obligations under Crimea declaration as emphasized in our note of September 22 regarding renewal of diplomatic relations with Hungary with resulting satisfactory assurances received from Provisional Government regarding free election.30
Smallholders spokesmen evidently are inclined to view that acceptance of common slate is desirable so as to assure maintenance of peace and order in ensuing critical months but I understand Social Democratic Party is widely split on this issue and that Smallholders Party is far from unanimous in supporting proposal.
In strictest confidence Tildy’s emissary said Voroshilov and Pushkin having mistakenly predicted to Moscow outcome of recent Budapest election and being aware that Smallholders without common slate would receive great majority in national election to discomfiture of Soviet representatives, Tildy feels that advantages of common slate also include saving face for Voroshilov and Pushkin whose fall from grace with Soviet Government might lead to appointment of new Soviet representatives here and much heavier hand by such new representatives in handling Hungarian affairs.
- Managing Vice President of the Smallholders Party.↩
- General Secretary of the Smallholders Party.↩
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Telegram 780, October 17, 4 p.m., from Budapest, reads in part as follows:
“Dept may wish now to consider if common list for allocational assembly candidates is in violation of pledge given by Hungarian Govt that an election will be held for establishment representative Govt and is at the same time contrary to our Yalta commitment. Submission of single predetermined list as electors would not appear to enable Hungarians ‘to create democratic institutions of their own choice’.” (864.00/10–1745)
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