501.BC Indonesia/11–1848: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Consulate General at Batavia 1
582. Usgoc 181. Soemitro called on Dept officer Nov 18 to express great concern at what he believes to be imminence of Neth police action. He said reliable source had informed him that Neth planning initial stages Dec 1. Acknowledging that Neth had been prevented from police action in past months by US suasion, Soemitro questioned whether Neth would respond to US pressure on this occasion and wondered further what US would do if police action resulted in occupation Jogja and other centers. Dept officer replied that US Govt was as unalterably opposed to police action now as it had been in past and that Neth was fully aware its position; that because of US neutrality in dispute and position of good officer, he could not acquaint Soemitro [Page 493] with details of position Dept had taken with Neth this respect, that Dept believed police action unlikely while Stikker conversations Neth Govt Hague continued.
Soemitro said that he had decided to appeal to US public through press to marshal public opinion against police action and wished to advise with Dept before doing so. Dept officer replied that he could not advise Soemitro on matter this kind but that he thought Soemitro should (a) carefully consider possibility that such an appeal would strengthen Stikker’s opposition in Hague and Batavia and in any case (b) ask Hatta’s permission such action. Soemitro promised seriously to consider (a) but in respect to (b) stated that shortage of time would not allow for such consultation with Repub Govt. Having pressed point (b) still further, Dept officer had impression that perhaps Soemitro would communicate Hatta before making appeal.
When Soemitro called later same day he was informed that substance his conversation had been communicated Cochran and that Dept officers were of opinion, expressed informally, that appeal this nature inadvisable at this point for reasons previously given him.
- Repeated as 586 to The Hague.↩