856E.01/1–2347: Telegram
The Consul General at Batavia (Foote) to the Secretary of State
30. De Boar, member Commission General, sent for me and said he felt he ought decline sign Cheribon Agreement despite having initialled it since he believed it doomed to failure. Gave as reason his [Page 894] conviction Republicans had no intention honoring it and would violate it as flagrantly as it did truce agreement. He gave no indication of views of Schermerhorn and Van Poll11 beyond saying Van Mook alone was optimistic. In explaining conviction reply would not carry out agreement he referred to rejection by PJSTI,12 Soekarno’s political party; Masjoemi, union of Moslem parties; Working Committee of National Assembly and other groups, pointing out that even leaders favoring agreement such as Soekarno, Hatta13 and Sjarifoeddin14 had made it plain they did not regard it as basis of solution but only as step advantageous to success of revolution and eventual domination all Indonesia by Republicans.
He said he believed influence Soekarno and moderates like Sjahrir had greatly declined and referred to recent ten to one vote of Working Committee of KNIP14a declaring illegal Soekarno’s decree enlarging National Committee by addition of members favoring agreement. Said he understood approval by KNIP would be only on condition further concessions from Dutch which they cannot afford to give. He added that Republicans disregard of truce and increasing attacks on Dutch military positions indicated rising influence of irreconcilable militarists who oppose all agreements. Concluded by saying he reluctant approve arrangement certain to be sabotaged by Indonesians and believed more honest and effective measure restore order and prosperity would be swift military action and capture Djocja,15 an opinion he said shared by increasing number Dutch here and in Netherlands.
I remarked Cheribon Agreement warmly applauded by democratic world and that even if subsequent hostilities unavoidable because of Republicans bad faith Dutch would lose much favorable world opinion by failure sign. He replied Dutch now steadily losing respect for world opinion of events in Indonesia.
My comments follow next telegram.
- Professor Willem Schermerhorn, former Netherlands Prime Minister, and J. M. Van Poll, of the Netherlands Second Chamber, were both members of the Commission General to the East Indies.↩
- Partai Nasional Indonesia.↩
- Dr. Muhammad Hatta, “Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia”.↩
- Indonesian Minister of Defense.↩
- Komite Nasional Indonesia Pusat, Central Indonesian National Committee.↩
- Jogjakarta is the accepted spelling of the name of the Indonesian capital.↩