Office of the Historian

871.00/8–2446: Telegram

The Representative in Rumania (Berry) to the Secretary of State

confidential
us urgent
Bucharest, August 24, 1946—9 a.m.
[Received 11:30 a.m.]

819. What I expected yesterday to be brief courtesy call on Prime Minister turned into 3½ hour monologue. Following is essence of his statements for what they are worth.

1.
Concerning freedoms, he admitted that he [we?] had cause for complaint on restriction of freedom of assembly. Upon all others he said no one could complain. Moreover, freedom of assembly was restricted because of overriding necessity of maintaining order. He claimed there were provocative elements in extreme Right and Left which desired trouble. Serious trouble would only mean disappearance of present “democratic” Government which would be followed by dictatorship on extreme Left. Therefore, in interests of most Rumanians, he was restricting occasions for clashes between extremist[s]. Concerning Pitesti and other incidents, he said he regretted them more than I, but realized more than I how reduced were casualties compared to what might have been if he had acted less energetically.
2.
Concerning election date, said he had told Ambassadors in January that he would not present himself until electorate had full bellies.” In January he expected such condition to exist in September, and in June had announced elections for that month. Then came the drought and corn crop failure. He was meeting this new crisis by importing corn. He recently received 1,700 tons from Yugoslavia. Shipments were coming from Poland and Russia and he was negotiating to buy elsewhere. Within 6 weeks he expects to be in position to show the electorate that he has provided for their elementary needs and then hold elections forthwith.
3.
Concerning freedom of elections, he said that when Anglo-Americans agreed to Moscow decisions they were thinking in terms of free elections such as were held in England or America, whereas Russians were thinking in terms of free elections such as were held in Russia. In view of presence of Russian Army in Rumania, coming elections would likely be held according to Russian interpretation of “free and unfettered”.
4.
About detention of our arrested employees he claimed he desired to release them long ago, but was prevented by extremists within his Government. Only by exerting his greatest efforts had he been able to play down affair. He has now succeeded to point where in stated evidence there is no connection made between American employers and employees subversive activities. Moreover, trial will be secret, [Page 622] except for American observers, and press will carry no stories of it. He expected cases to come to trial “very soon”.
5.
In previous conversation he mentioned his desire to see closer relations between Balkan countries. When I asked if his plans had developed, he said as soon as peace treaties were signed and elections held I would see tremendous changes. He will invite chiefs of Balkan and eastern European states to visit Bucharest. Out of visit will grow an economic union extending from Austria to the mouth of Danube and including Poland. This will be customs union rather than political federation, as in politics states already have similar point of view. I inquired if he had discussed subject with Russians, to which he replied he had discussed it with Marshal Stalin, who told him to go ahead and do what he pleased, as Russia had no intention of interfering in internal affairs of her neighbors, except to see friendly governments in power.

Repeated to Secdel at Paris as 113.

Berry