501.BC Indonesia/12–1848: Telegram
The Consul General at Batavia (Livengood) to the Secretary of State 1
us urgent
niact
[Received December 18—1:27 p. m.]
1108. Gocus 493. Reference Netherlands reply to Hatta letter. Not cabling this to Department since Usgoc 2472 indicates receipt text [Page 575] from Netherlands Embassy. Should be noted message to me had appended ultimatum reproduced paragraph 9 Gocus 4923 giving my answer to Schuurman. After receiving Schuurman message in Kaliurang, I gave copy thereof to Hatta. As result character Netherlands message, I obtained Hatta’s approval, following consultation with Roem, to have his letter December 13 to me introduced into GOC.
It was agreed with GOC colleagues that reply to Schuurman should be made by me in my name. Necessary answer was prepared by USDel Friday night.4 I left Kaliurang 6 and arrived Batavia 9:30 this morning. I delivered letter to Schuurman at 9:40 a. m. At Kaliurang today Lisle will introduce Hatta letter, Schuurman message and my reply in GOC meeting attended by Critchley and Herremans. We prepared draft of supplementary report from GOC to be telegraphed to SC Paris as soon as Saturday’s GOC meeting approves it. It will quote foregoing 3 documents as pertinent to GOC efforts achieve resumption negotiations.
Text of report aside from documents will be cabled Department.
Considering Netherlands attitude revealed in latest communication from Schuurman, GOC felt text of 3 communications exchanged should be placed in its record and published through SC soonest. We share opinion expressed in last paragraph Usgoc 247 that public opinion toward Netherlands Indonesian policy may be affected by revelation this correspondence showing such difference of attitude of two parties. Although we did not know Kaliurang last night whether SC decision of December 17 would be to take up Indonesian question this month, we preferred have this correspondence on record and published.
Schuurman lamely excused to me this morning his confusing messages of yesterday and fixation of time limit. He said I must admit his government had been patient. I told him his communications to GOC and to me at Kaliurang had not supported this contention. When he read my reply he asked me what Hatta had said. I told him my letter was my complete answer. Schuurman said he would not have called on me for this last task unless he had thought I could bring back reply which was required from Hatta “to clarify certain points in his letter of December 13”. I told him I was as anxious as ever to help his government achieve peaceful settlement and was sure that I could aid them materially toward this end if they would be reasonable and enter bona fide negotiations. When he insisted that their past approach to me had been reasonable, I told him that it was [Page 576] asking a lot of me to expect I could between hours of 4:30 p. m. and 6 a. m., obtain complete capitulation from sick Prime Minister on mountainside in Repub separated from his cabinet and advisors by torrential rains, bad roads and almost no transportation. I said there had been serious doubt in my mind as to whether I should even deliver Hatta such document as that received, to say nothing of endeavoring extract from Hatta and Repub in few hours basic settlement which Schuurman and his mission had failed obtain.
Again Schuurman argued that I had accomplished a lot at Jogja in few hours on December 13 when I procured Hatta’s first letter. I said circumstances had been much different. I had gone there with definite approach and accompanied by Supomo and Darmasetiawan who helped assemble responsible officials of government and complete task. Schuurman definitely displeased because I had no reply committing Hatta on last Netherlands demand. I told him I would remain in Batavia until Monday going over my correspondence and then return to GOC Headquarters at Kaliurang.
Believe Netherlands reply to Hatta approach and these recent messages from Hague indicate loss of temper and balance by Netherlands Government that is likely lose them their cause. I wish Stikker and his colleagues could be assured of my continuing and genuine interest in seeing them achieve a peaceful settlement and of my distress over their present rash attitude. The more adamant and threatening Netherlands Government becomes in demanding Repub capitulation without recourse to GOC, the more guarded I shall have to become in handling or meeting their unreasonable ultimata and running their erratic errands. I have not intervened as Sukarno planned departure Sunday for proposed visit to Nehru, accompanied by Foreign Minister, Natsir, Indian Consul Jogja and 10 others (Hague’s 8645). Neither do I intend [go] to Bukittinggi (Hague December 16).
Since dictating foregoing received Usgoc 2486 suggesting that Netherlands was instructing NethDel Batavia amplify or explain sense of Netherlands reply to Hatta letter. I have at no time received any explanation other than text of communication under reference, unless I might include Schuurman’s weak arguments made this morning after I handed him my reply. Signed Cochran.