871.00/7–446: Telegram
The Representative in Rumania (Berry) to the Secretary of State
urgent
[Received July 8—10:55 a.m.]
681. Remytel 641 of June 23.1 Yesterday King Mihai formally notified representatives of all political parties that as constitutional monarch he could not sign two draft Govt electoral laws since first decree had unconstitutional provision for abolition of Senate. To settle impasse he urged all parties to come to common agreement. This action followed unsuccessful pleas of Communist Justice Minister2 [Page 612] that King accept decree and after meetings of Inter-Ministerial Committee, in which representatives of all Govt political parties could not agree upon revisions of decree texts. National Peasants and National Liberals during these meetings succeeded in removing every constitutionally objectionable article in national representation decree except Senate abolition. They secured certain modifications in second decree for elections to Chamber of Deputies but consider law undemocratic and designed to secure NDF majority.
While King is mainly concerned with constitutional violation and realistically seeks local settlement, opposition to Govt sponsored bills, including National Peasants, National Liberals and Petrescu3 Socialists object to both decrees and request that they be submitted under Moscow agreement to three Allies who guaranteed unfettered elections.
In interviews yesterday both Maniu and Bratianu, Peasant and Liberal leaders, expressed fervent hope that American Govt would support King in his position and additionally would express opinion upon electoral decrees by right of Moscow agreement. They base this request upon their conversations with Ambassador Harriman prior to reorganization of the Groza govt promising three Govts “would see that the various steps to the implementation of the agreement were fulfilled”. Maniu went so far as to tell me in strictest confidence if King signed law as drafted, his party would refuse to enter candidates in coming election. He asked I use my influence with King to stand firm on his decision.
The King’s Secretary yesterday likewise told me in confidence that King was taking this firm stand hoping to force political parties to find compromise that would be acceptable to all. Failing to succeed in this the King would, after a few days, sign laws as drafted. Secretary in name of King asked me to use my influence with Mr. Maniu to be reasonable.
I am taking precautions not to meet King this week-end in order that Department may have time to send instructions. If no instructions are received and King informally inquires my opinion I propose to tell him that it would be mistake in my opinion to refer matter for decision to three Great Powers, signatories of Yalta convention. In effecting local solution he should do his utmost short of breaking with Govt to act in accordance with the principles of constitution. If Govt refuses to yield he should accept the laws with objectionable features in order to be able to fight again when his position is stronger.
- Not printed; it reported that the National Peasant, National Liberal, and Socialist Parties, in written memoranda to the United States Mission and in public announcements, had expressed their strong opposition to the new electoral laws proposed by the Groza government. The three parties maintained that the electoral laws, in their current form, were unconstitutional and made the holding of unfettered elections within the meaning of the Moscow Conference decisions impossible. (871.00/6–2346)↩
- Lucretiu Patrascanu.↩
- Constantin Titel Petrescu, leader of one branch of the Rumanian Social Democratic Party.↩