123 Chapin, Selden: Telegram
The Minister in Hungary (Chapin) to the Secretary of State
urgent niact
1871. For Armour and Hickerson. As Department will have gathered from my telegrams it is an integral and important part of the present Communist campaign for extending complete domination of Hungary to vilify the US and to endeavor to make out a case of conspiracy, espionage and warmongering against this Legation. Undoubtedly the Legation’s reporting and information activities, and concomitant prestige in local political scene have impeded Communist progress to some extent and hence are obnoxious to Communist high command.
I think it possible as a result of the so-called “investigations” now going on of persons recently arrested that charges will be cooked up against American personnel this Legation. In particular McCargar1 as political officer and possibly Revey2 as information officer and as [Page 399] result of warmonger charges may be attacked. It is also possible that one or two officers of this Legation may be declared personae non gratae. I may be requested to have them transferred elsewhere. This would be new departure, since as far as I am aware attacks on American officials in curtain countries have so far been limited to those who had already left the post. While such a sensational case might break at any time I doubt that it would come before Prime Minister and Foreign Minister return next week from Rumania.
Unless instructed to the contrary by the Department and unless there has been a clear violation of my instruction, I propose to assume personally entire responsibility for the acts of any officer or American employee of this Legation. I am aware that there has been some activities arising out of official implications to prominent Hungarian figures the details of which are not known to me, but this activity is understood now to have ceased because of current risks. While I do not believe that any case could legally be proved there are some important details which probably have leaked out through beneficiaries and so much is suspected that a case could be manufactured.
In reaching this decision I have weighed what I believe to be Department’s desire that Legation and specifically chief of mission should remain on in a curtain country for as long as it may be possible but I feel that the loss of prestige to us were we to accept such a demand of Hungarian Government, if it should be forthcoming, to withdraw several officers would be such as to render my presence here useless and untenable. I believe that there is a good chance were I personally to assume the responsibility the demands for transfer elsewhere of personnel of this Legation might be dropped since presumably the Hungarian Government might hesitate before declaring a chief of mission persona non grata. On other hand should such a declaration eventuate which I would hope could be avoided I believe that no more damage would thus be done since in Hungarian eyes due responsibility would attach to me unless I made a specific denial and disavowal. Legation would be left in charge of Cochran3 until a new chief of mission were appointed and the cycle begin all over again.
The Department’s instructions are requested.
Sent Department repeated London for the Secretary4 as 168.