Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

864.00/8–1447: Telegram

The Minister in Hungary (Chapin) to the Secretary of State

secret
niact

Budapest, August 14, 1947—3 p. m.

1383. Electoral lists were ported August 11 and confirmed earlier reports concerning widespread disfranchisement (mytel 1339, August 8¹ and previous). Smallholder Kis Ujság² published front page article August 12 reporting exclusions to 70% in some areas and placing extent of disfranchisement in Budapest at about 50%. Although this figure as published by partisan (and in this instance courageous) newspaper may be high, it is clear that disfranchisements have in fact reached scandalous proportions and in particular the manner of their execution has become farcical. Although accurate figures are not available it seems safe to say on basis of information available to British and ourselves that nationwide exclusions represent at least 20% of electorate which amounts to roughly one million persons or four times Minister of Interior’s estimate and twice number mentioned by Lord Pakenham in House of Lords.³

According to electoral law persons disfranchised have until August 18 to appeal decisions and electoral boards then have until August 26 to review cases.

There has been very strong public reaction on this matter and there is now widespread apprehension among those disfranchised that subsequent use will be made by government of lists of persons disfranchised to reduce such persons in effect to status of second class citizens. There have been number of inter-party conferences on issue resulting so far only in instructions of Minister of Interior reported in press August 13 that those disfranchised may appeal within 8 days with documentary evidence supporting their appeals, but that those disfranchised on grounds of membership in Fascist organizations must produce document from political police to the contrary. This particular provision of electoral law incidentally has been one of those most frequently abused.

British ACC [Acting?] Political Representative⁴ and I have been conferring on this matter and are agreed that action with respect to this issue is urgently required. We have concurred in the following recommendations as first step and Walsh is simultaneously submitting them to his government.

(1) Separate statements be made immediately by both British and American Governments (a) referring to reports which indicate widespread abuses of disfranchisement procedures of Hungarian electoral law which if not rectified will seriously affect representative character of forthcoming elections, (b) expressing concern of the British and American Governments over this development and stating that each government is watching developments closely and should US and British Governments concur, stating that their diplomatic representative in Budapest had been instructed to approach the Hungarian Prime Minister for information on this matter. Full publicity to be given over VA, BBC and other appropriate means at our disposal to this statement.

(2) Provided that British Government should concur in taking similar action, I should be instructed to call as soon as possible on Prime Minister and to express US Government’s concern over reported abuses disfranchisement procedure and request information as to these abuses and as to steps taken to correct them if true. It would be Walsh’s and my intention to make approach to Prime Minister jointly.

(3) A hint might be included in suggested statement to effect that should elections be held under such circumstances as now are forecast, serious doubts might be created as respects the British and American Governments whether the election was in fact a valid one.

Foregoing procedure will have advantage of indicating to Hungarian public our continuing interest as well as encouraging disfranchised persons to make every effort to recover their right to vote provided of course that statements to be made in Washington and/or London are made before August 18.

As we understand Hungarian Government is somewhat embarrassed by abuses and strong reaction thereto, proposed approach to Prime Minister might well reinforce government’s willingness to correct these abuses substantially prior to elections. It would also, most importantly provide requisite basis for ultimate nonrecognition of elections should this step be later indicated.

Foregoing is recommended as first step only, to be followed later by such action as circumstances may warrant. Subsequent action might include a proposal in the ACC to postpone elections pending correction of abuses which threaten to invalidate free and unfettered character of elections, which course has already been requested by Cardinal Mindszenty⁵ in a letter received yesterday by General Weems. Whatever later steps may be adopted it seems clear that action must be taken at present juncture in order to forestall later objections that we protest elections only on basis of their results, particularly since it appears to be intention of Communists in the circumstances to so arrange components of elections that voting procedure on election day, which they anticipate will be closely observed by foreign correspondents, will in fact be orderly and free from actual voting abuses.

Sent Department; repeated London 146.

Chapin

1. Not printed.
2. Newspaper of the Hungarian Smallholder Party.
3. In a debate in the British House of Lords on August 5, on the forthcoming elections in Hungary, Lord Pakenham, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, estimated the number of former Hungarian electors who would be disfranchised at between 250,000 and 500,000.
4. James Mark Walsh, Acting British Political Representative. Political Representative Helm was in the United Kingdom for consultation.
5. József Cardinal Mindszenty, Prince Primate of Hungary.