Department of Defense Files: Telegram
The Chief of the United States Military Representation on the Allied Control Commission for Rumania (Schuyler) to the War Department
M 1065. Mister Berry and I held a conference on 6 June with Mister Maniu, at his request. Following is brief outline of our discussion:
Maniu considers that Rumania is no longer a sovereign state. The government consists almost entirely of Russian Quislings. Under the new collaboration agreement, Russia will shortly be in control of all of Rumania’s chief industries and the entire economic structure of the state will become Communized.
Several weeks ago, Maniu submitted a formal application to the government for authority to hold local meetings of National Peasant Party officials in various towns and cities in order to formulate party policies. This authority was refused by Groza on the grounds that the National Peasant Party is not represented in the government; can not be recognized as a bona fide political party.
[Page 554]Maniu says that Petrescu, leader of the Socialist Party, is now working closely with Maniu and has indicated his willingness to withdraw from the government and from the National Democratic Front whenever such a move appears desirable in the National interest. Maniu feels that in any such withdrawal Petrescu can count on all but a small handful of individuals who constitute the extreme left wing of his party.
Maniu hinted that if he could receive Anglo-American support, his party was ready to persuade the King to dismiss the present Government and to form a new Cabinet with all parties represented. He asked what would be the reaction of the United States to such a move, assuming that Russia might endeavor to maintain the present government by force, even though it were dismissed by the King. We replied that we had no information on this point. We told him our government had already taken the position that the Groza government was not representative of all parties; that discussions on governmental levels had been going on for some time and that the United States does not yet consider this matter closed. We warned him of the possible serious consequences for Rumania of any local action which might provoke bloodshed and expressed the opinion that local disorders might well impede rather than accelerate a final agreement among the three major allies on the Rumanian situation. Maniu answered that without definite assurance of Anglo-American support, he would under no circumstances provoke a situation which could be construed as open rebellion against Russian authority.