871.00/11–2246: Telegram
The Representative in Rumania (Berry) to the Secretary of State
urgent
[Received November 24—1 a.m.]
1097. Yesterday morning King Michael sent me an urgent personal message asking me to meet privately his Marshal of the Court, his personal secretary and an intimate personal adviser. Accompanied by Mr. Melbourne, I dined privately with these three.
All three agreed preparations for elections were undemocratic and results were attained fraudulently.44 The question that was giving them serious concern was, what should the King do under these circumstances? All agreed in recent months King’s popularity had dwindled; that Soviets would continue to tolerate King as long as he remains a political force; that King’s acceptance of election results would further seriously undermine his prestige; that when his prestige nears exhaustion Soviets will lose no time in ridding themselves of him. They reminded me Parliament opens December 1, that custom required King to read speech from throne at opening. By this act he will commit himself to acceptance of results of fraudulent elections and acts of Parliament thereby constituted.
Beyond this point the three were not in agreement.
The private secretary stated his view that King had an obligation to Rumanian people to refuse to accept results of fraudulent election regardless of any action by Americans and British. He said he realized [Page 654] if King took this stand it would again bring him into open conflict with Government and Soviets, it would increase personal danger, and it might mean his abdication. It would mean, however, that until end of his reign, he had acted in accordance with will of his people. But, if he accepts results of elections, he will be tolerated yet a little longer by Russians, but in the end he would go anyway, and perhaps not much later as he would become at once a King without popular support.
The Marshal took view it was necessary to continue to play for time. He admitted acceptance of elections by King would most seriously undermine his popularity, but he felt if King could outlast Russian occupation, he had even chance of reestablishing his position in minds of his people. He felt King, therefore, should accept elections and open Parliament unless we and Britain advised him otherwise. In such case, King would be accepting American-British historic parties’ reports on election rather than Government-Soviet report, and we would have obligation to see matter through as last time we had seen it through by bringing about Moscow decision after King’s attempt to implement Potsdam Agreement had been thwarted. The Marshal felt if we could not guarantee an ultimate arrangement of situation, King, irrespective of our action, should accept the election.
The third Rumanian reminded us King by his action August 23, 1944,45 made himself symbol of national Govt movement regency and by his act of August 20, 1945,46 symbol of national resistance. Since latter date he has lost popularity by decorating Groza, confirming death sentence of Antonescu, dismissing hundreds of career officers from army, accepting electoral law, and publicly associating himself with Soviets. The Rumanian said if King accepts results of elections he would destroy last vestiges of his hold on people and his reason for being. He could not be a traitor to himself. He had to refuse to accept elections. At same time Americans and British had no choice but to refuse to accept. Eight notes had been sent to Rumanian Govt asking fulfillment of promise made and Government had told Anglo-Americans to mind their own business. In view of obligations assumed toward Rumania in Yalta, Potsdam and Moscow, Anglo-Americans could not accept this treatment, and ever again in eastern Europe champion democratic principles. He concluded King, Americans and British are in same boat and has to refuse to accept results of elections.
[Page 655]I told them I had not yet received full reports upon elections and had made new [no?] recommendations to Washington and had, of course, received no instructions. I said I could not, therefore, make any statement but I hoped within a few days to know attitude of my Government upon elections and I felt sure King’s position would receive serious consideration at same time that my report on elections is being considered.
- For a summary report on the course and results of the Rumanian elections of November 19, see despatch 1265, November 27, from Bucharest, p. 662.↩
- Date on which King Michael arrested Marshal Antonescu and established a new government which concluded an armistice with the United Nations and declared war against Germany.↩
- Date of King Michael’s appeal to the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union for advice on means to establish democratic and representative government in Rumania.↩