871.00/7–1746: Telegram
The Representative in Rumania (Berry) to the Secretary of State
urgent
[Received 12:22 p.m.]
716. Remytel 681, July 4. Should Maniu return to his threat not to put up candidates because an undemocratic electoral law would make [Page 617] it impossible to elect such, I propose telling him that I think such action would be disastrous for his party. Although it is true many persons will abstain from voting through fear of violence and it is probable that many votes will be improperly counted yet I think it is essential that the historic parties put up their candidates. Some are likely to be elected and those that are elected will act as the voice of the parties in the Parliament. Without such voice, the historic parties will merit Vyshinski’s description of “archaic” and Parliament will be organized without their participation. It would only then be a step to suppress them as reactionaries leaving the whole field to the Communists and fellow travelers.9
- Telegram 469, July 18, to Bucharest, authorized Representative Berry to state his proposed advice to Maniu as the Department’s view (871.00/7–1746).↩