763.0221/1–2252
No. 789
The United States High Commissioner
for Austria (Donnelly) to the Deputy Director of the Office
of Western European Affairs (Williamson)
confidential
Vienna, January 22, 1952.
Dear Francis: In the event you
have not been advised by the Department of the Army of their recent
communications with USFA on the
subject of recruiting aliens for the enlistment program in Austria,
I attach copies of a recent exchange of wires between Washington and
Salzburg on the subject. I am strongly opposed to the operation of
this program in Austria and General Irwin is in
entire agreement.
Sincerely yours,
[Enclosure 1]
Telegram From the Department of the Army to
the Commanding General of the United States Forces in
Austria (Irwin)
confidential
[Washington,] 11 January
1952.
DA 91645. DA desires to emphasize that alien enl program auth
by Public Law 597, 81st Congress1 as
amended is of utmost importance. Program permits Army to enl
aliens of high caliber who will be of great value to svc.
Mental, moral, and physical standards for enl have been placed
quite high purposely to obtain only quality pers which will make
program success. Important that DA leave no area of procurement unexplored to end
that qualified aliens will be offered opportunity to enl. DA has considered reasons stated
urad P 1878, 26 November 512 as well as others not mentioned with which
this HQ is familiar from past
comm. Since current instr to
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HQEUCOM prevent enl of pers from countries rec ERP aid (Austrian Nationals thereby
prevented from being considered for enl) rqst reconsideration be
given to ref radio with view to withdrawal of objections stated.
If you perceive no objection to establishment of alien enl
program in Austria as result of info stated above anticipated
CGEUCOM will be directed to contact your HQ to provide rct station at such
places you may desire. Since this program is in nature of pilot
model considered desirable to provide teams on TDY from EUCOM for selecting testing, and interviewing appl
so that constant standards may be maintained. These teams are
experienced as result of opn of program thus far. HQEUCOM will further be notified no Austrian
Nationals will be considered for enl. Current instr will be
modified to remove rqmt for 50 Austrians from Soviet Zone of
Austria which number was place there in error.
[Enclosure 2]
Telegram From the Commanding General of the
United States Forces in Austria (Irwin) to the Department of
the Army
confidential
[Vienna, undated.]
From Irwin personal for Bergin. Reference
DA cable 91645 and my cables
P0751 and P1878.3 Ambassador Donnelly and I have again
discussed at great length the enlistment of aliens and concur in
strongly recommending against extending the current program to
include Austria. In addition to reasons previously presented, it
is our opinion that this program would not be successful at this
time. Such a program probably could have been successful had it
been initiated in the 1945–46 period. Over the period of the
past five years, IRO has screened out of Austria all but a small
number of aliens who could be considered of high caliber and who
could be of value to the service. As a result, it is our fixed
opinion that only a limited number of aliens of the type desired
could be enlisted in Austria. The possibility of opening up this
subject and giving the Soviet a fertile field for criticism and
adverse publicity would seem to outweigh the advantages that
could possibly be gained through the enlistment of a minimum
number of individuals. It is believed that the only way such a
program could profitably succeed in Austria would be to
authorize the enlistment of Austrian Nationals, a source of
quality personnel. Many Austrians of the caliber desired have
applied or made inquiry to this headquarters concerning
enlistment
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under
this program. Finally, and most important, such a program would
be a definite violation of the quadripartite control
agreement.
