No. 736

Editorial Note

A Hungarian Government note of July 2 to the American Legation in Budapest asserted that it had been established in the trial of Archbishop Grösz that nine former or current American Legation officials had been involved in espionage and conspiracy against the Hungarian state, that Legation officials had been involved in almost every fascist conspiracy uncovered in Hungary over a period of years, and that anti-Hungarian subversive movements had the support of the United States Government. The Hungarian Government demanded the immediate recall of Legation officials named in the Grösz trial and the closing of the USIS library and other activities in Hungary. The Hungarian note of July 2, which was transmitted to the Department of State in telegram 4 from Budapest, July 3 (864.413/7–351), is printed in Hungarian White Book, pages 201–203. Regarding the Grösz trial, see also Document 745.

In a note of July 5, reported upon in telegram 18 from Budapest, July 5 (123–Sherer, Albert W. Jr.), the Hungarian Government declared Second Secretary of Legation Albert W. Sherer and Legation [Page 1465] Attaché Ruth Tryon personae non gratae and demanded that they leave Hungary within 24 hours. Sherer and Tryon accordingly left Hungary on the morning of July 6. The Hungarian Government further stated that Mary Eich, an American clerk in the United States Information Service section of the Legation, who had previously been authorized by the Legation to proceed to Vienna for reasons of health, was also considered undesirable and would not be permitted to reenter Hungary.

In reply to the Hungarian note of July 2, Chargé Mokma communicated a note to the Hungarian Foreign Ministry which categorically denied the Hungarian allegations, and stated:

“In the view of the United States Government, the proceedings in the trial of Archbishop Grosz established nothing except the fact that the Hungarian authorities are continuing by ruthless and unconscionable measures to terrorize the Hungarian people into mute submission to the existing regime and its totalitarian program.”

The note also stated that it was “clear that the Hungarian Government has rendered impossible the maintenance of open and normal contacts and the free exchange of ideas and information between the two peoples [the United States and Hungary]”. For text of the Legation’s note of July 5, see Department of State Bulletin, July 16, 1951, page 94.

The Hungarian Government rejected the United States note of July 7 on July 10, in a note which contained the statement, “The Government of the United States better mind its own business,” and accused the United States of openly supporting Hungarian fascism and using the United States Legation at Budapest as a spy center. The Hungarian note of July 10, which was subsequently printed in Hungarian White Book, page 206, was reported to the Department of State in telegram 28 from Budapest, July 10. (764.00/7–1051)

In a memorandum of July 9, drafted by McKisson (EUR/EE) and cleared by Campbell and Reinhardt (EUR/EE), Bonbright (EUR), Muir (S/S–PR), Keogh (SY), and Matthews (G), Assistant Secretary Perkins proposed the expulsion of two members of the Hungarian Legation in Washington. After briefly reviewing the exchange of notes of July 2 and July 7 and the expulsion of Sherer and Tryon, Perkins made the following proposal:

“We believe that prestige considerations, together with the false basis and therefore unwarranted nature of the Hungarian demands, make it desirable that this Government retaliate against the Hungarian Government by expelling two members of the Hungarian Legation’s staff from the United States. We would make no charges against them, thus indirectly emphasizing that there were no valid charges against the US officials whom they declared personae [Page 1466] non gratae. The proposed retaliatory action is believed necessary to impress the Hungarian Government that it cannot take such measures against our Legation with impunity and to protect to this extent the future position of our representatives there.” (601.6411/7–951)

As recommended by Perkins’ memorandum, telegram 32 to Budapest, July 13, instructed the Legation in Hungary to present a formal note to the Hungarian Foreign Ministry stating that the presence of Second Secretary Lajos Nagy and Attaché Peter Varkonyi of the Hungarian Legation in Washington was no longer agreeable to the United States Government and requesting the Hungarian Government to effect their departure from the United States. Telegram 32, which had been drafted and cleared by the same officers responsible for the memorandum of July 9, was personally signed by Secretary Acheson who also cleared its substance with President Truman. (601.6411/7–1351)

Chargé Mokma delivered a note to the Hungarian Foreign Ministry on July 15 in pursuance of the instructions of telegram 32. Mokma discussed the note with Hungarian Chief Deputy Foreign Minister Berei the previous evening. Telegram 43 from Budapest, July 15, reported on that conversation in part as follows:

“When I said it was follow-up on our note July 7 and that contents cld not be considered good, he stated that Hung Govt wld immed take countermeasures. We had long discussion differences our two govts and he ended by saying the two wld never be able agree.” (601.6411/7–1551)

In a note of July 17 to the Legation in Hungary, the Hungarian Foreign Ministry asked to be informed of the reasons rendering the presence of Hungarian Legation officials Nagy and Varkonyi no longer agreeable to the United States Government. (Telegram 53 from Budapest, July 18, 601.6411/7–1851) In a note of July 20, prepared on instructions of the Department of State, the Legation in Hungary replied as follows:

“It is not the practice of the United States Government to give reasons for declaring the presence in the United States of certain representatives of a foreign government no longer agreeable, nor is it customary in international diplomatic practice that declarations of this character require statement of their justification.” (Despatch 57, July 25, 601.6411/7–2551)