Office of the Historian

860F.00/1–2749: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom 2

top secret
Washington, January 27, 1949—noon.

296. For Keith.3 Efforts of Czechs to form Council of Free Czecho have been blocked since last summer by lack agreement among refugees in US, UK and Fr. Zenkl4 and Lettrich5 chosen in Oct meeting here as Chairman and Vice-Chairman Preparatory Committee for Council. In order expedite resolution difficulties re form and structure Council Zenkl as chairman Committee sent Paris and London invitations to representatives (Chairman and Secretary-General in so far as possible) of each five parties existing prior to coup, attend organizational conference in Wash no later than Dec 15. Dept agreed endeavor to obtain visas and (Zenkl arranged) to obtain funds for transportation and expenses of delegates during meeting here. Paris and London groups debated this step and came forward with several counter-proposals, so that meeting was twice postponed.

In order to take into acct views of conference refugees Paris Jan 9–10 and increase possibility of agreement, Zenkl has decided to add four to original 10 of which two would represent peasant group and two non-political elements (Peroutka6 and Gen Ingr7). Hope agreement on choice two peasant representatives may be reached at once so arrangements for 14 can be completed. Zenkl is communicating this proposal to Vaclav Majer8 and Ripka,9 asking for names of peasant [Page 278] reps soonest since he is unable resolve here disagreement as to who should represent them.

Pls advise Majer10 confidentially that through Zenkl’s intercession we have agreed endeavor to arrange visas for additional reps as indicated above. Emphasize strongly that while Dept unwilling interfere refugee leaders must subordinate their differences and arrive at prompt agreement if we are to maintain our interest their efforts.11

Acheson
  1. Telegram 235, January 26, to Paris, not printed, was virtually identical (860F.00/1–2649).↩
  2. Gerald Keith, Counsellor of the Embassy in the United Kingdom.↩
  3. Peter Zenkl, Czechoslovak Deputy Prime Minister, June 1946–February 1948; Chairman of the Czechoslovak National Socialist Party; in exile in the United States.↩
  4. Dr. Jozef Lettrich, President of the Slovak National Council, 1945–1948; President of the Slovak Democratic Party; in exile in the United States.↩
  5. Ferdinand Peroutka, editor of the Praha newspaper Svobodné Noviny, 1945–1947.↩
  6. Gen. Sergej Ingr, Minister of Defense in the wartime Czechoslovak Government in Exile in London; Czechoslovak Minister to the Netherlands, 1945–1948; in exile again from March 1948.↩
  7. Václav Majer, Czechoslovak Minister for Food, 1945–1948; leader of the Czechoslovak Social Democratic Party; in exile in London↩
  8. Hubert Ripka, Czechoslovak Minister for Foreign Trade, April 1945–Febraary 1947; leader in the Czechoslovak National Socialist Party; in, exile in Paris.↩
  9. The Embassy in Paris was to advise Ripka in the terms set forth here.↩
  10. On February 20, 1949, Czech and Slovak exile leaders meeting in Washington announced the establishment of the Council of Free Czechoslovakia. On February 23 Peter Zenkl and Jozef Lettrich, President and Vice President, respectively, of the Council, addressed a letter to the Secretary of State explaining that the purpose of the Council was to unite Czechoslovak forces in exile in the struggle against Communism and Fascism and to organize and support activities for the aid of Czechoslovak refugees (860F.01/2–2349). Several days later John D. Hickerson, Director of the Office of European Affairs, acknowledged the Zenkl-Lettrich letter and expressed thanks for the information it contained.↩