File No. 763.72119/1588 The Minister in Rumania (Vopicka) to the Secretary of State' [Telegram] JASSY, April 10, 1918, 1 p. m. 68. It was published in this morning's Monitor Official, the official organ of the Government, that Doctor Angelesco, the Rumanian Minister to our country, was officially recalled forthwith March 25. This recall is simply on account of the change of government. The following is a proclamation of the Government to the citizens of Jassy: With the greatest happiness we bring to your knowledge that the Sfatul Tarei, council of the country of Bessarabia, voted on the evening of April 9 the union with Rumania. The Prime Minister, Alexander Marghiloman, who is at Kishinev, will take portfolio in the name of the Rumanian people and of His Majesty Ferdinand of [by] the vote of a [the] Sfatul Ţarei. VOPICKA File No. 703.72119/1587 The Ambassador in France (Sharp) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] PARIS, April 13, 1918, 3 p. m. 3595. Following joint telegram from Allied Ministers dated Jassy, April 12: The union of Bessarabia and Rumania was proclaimed unanimously except for five votes yesterday [sic] at Kishinev by the Bessarabian assembly with the reservation, however, of a wide autonomy. It appears from a recent speech of Count Czernin that the Central powers have declared that they place no opposition on this union. We confirm that in order to prevent them from making capital of this event, it should be sympathetically welcomed, all the more so as this application of the principle of nationalities sanctioned by the vote of a free assembly seems entirely in agreement with the program of the Entente. The event appears in conformity with our interests. Being too weak to guarantee her independence by her own means, and cut off from greater Russia, Bessarabia has no other alternative than to unite with Rumania or the Ukraine which has voluntarily become an Austrian-German colony. SHARP 1 Sent via the Consulate at Saloniki (No. 58). File No. 763.72119/1606 The Minister in Rumania (Vopicka) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] JASSY, April 18, 1918, 9 a. m. 72. In addition to the telegram of the Allied Ministers of yesterday, I beg to ask for instructions regarding the recognition by our Government of the union of Bessarabia [with] Rumania.1 The present Germanophile government of Rumania makes much of this annexation claiming that Rumania is larger than before, even with the loss of Dobruja, and is taking the credit for it although it has no right to it. The Germans in permitting this union advertise [obviously?] had in view a plan to make the Rumanians fight with them against the Bolsheviks. There are rumors being circulated here that the Germans have already made demands that the Rumanians send a few divisions of their soldiers to Ukrainia to protect the depots which the Rumanians have there and to help the Germans make order. However, I believe, together with my colleagues, that the King will never consent to send an army into Ukrainia for the purpose, and that Rumania at present will refuse to assist the Germans in their scheme in Ukrainia. Therefore it is very important that [how?] this union of Bessarabia [with] Rumania is treated by our Government and the Allies. Word came from Bucharest that peace will not be signed for thirty days. Russian officers here are displeased with the annexation of Bessarabia by Rumania. VOPICKA File No. 861.00/1623 The Minister in Sweden (Morris) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] STOCKHOLM, April 20, 1918. 1920. Swedish press publishes Wolff bureau report from Kiev stating Ukrainian Central Rada has refused to recognize Bessarabia's union with Rumania and demanded separation from Bessarabia of portions that wish Ukrainian people's republic. Ukrainian Central Rada has requested council to address protest to Rumania and Central powers. While refusing to regard proclamation of April 9 as decisive, Ukrainian Central Rada calls on council of Ministers to 66 Note, dated May 7, in the margin of telegram: Secretary decided to take no action." take every step towards immediate deciding Bessarabia's fate on basis of approval of Ukrainian people's republic and in agreement with wishes of whole Bessarabian population. File No. 763.72119/1621 MORRIS The Consul General at Moscow (Summers) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] Moscow, undated. [Received April 27, 1918, 2.28 a. m.] 397. Following is résumé interview with Rakovski, chief, Rumanian department, Russian Commissariat Foreign Affairs, published 19th, Svoboda Rossii, formerly Russkoe Slovo: Exact information Rumanian situation lacking but apparent that owing German influence Rumania is unable conduct affairs independently or beneficially to herself. Treaty gives Central powers extraordinary right export grain, naphtha, and most probably power to quote own prices. This economic dependence seriously affects interests Rumanian peasants. Rumania has lost all Dobruja and part Wallachia to Austria, thus establishing direct communication Bulgaria, with total loss 35,000 square kilometers. Most important loss economically Black Sea coast although Danube frontiers not yet decided. Possible this territory to Bulgaria but more likely Sulinsk Canal district to Austria, as advices from Jassy indicate Germany considers Bulgaria stronger than intended which explains occupation Sulinsk and Sulina by Austrian troops. Frontier Bessarabia, as ceded to Rumania, running along Dniester cannot be considered final as Rumanian interests identical with those Ukrainian Rada which is chiefly interested [in] annexation provinces Akkerman and Khotin while Austria also desires latter. Kiev Rada now negotiating with Rumania regarding these provinces but whatever agreement reached will not receive sanction international jurisprudence as Bessarabia is part of Russia and sanction People's Commissars necessary; moreover, population will oppose cession, while for Rumania annexation of millions of revolutionary peasants means spread of civil war to Rumanian soil. Same journal publishes telegram from Chicherin to Prime Minister, Rumania, which characterizes annexation Bessarabia as challenge to Russian Republic and complete violation treaty which provides evacuation within two months, also as an act of violence against population which telegram says protested unanimously against Rumanian occupation and insisted upon evacuation Rumanian troops at meeting peasants Moldavian republic at Kishinev [in] January. SUMMERS Treaty of Bucharest between Rumania and the Central powers, signed May 7, 1918; see Foreign Relations, 1918, Supplement 1, vol. I. File No. 763.72119/1633 The Minister in Sweden (Morris) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] STOCKHOLM, May 3, 1918. 1999. Swedish press reports People's Commissariat Foreign Affairs on April 18 sent following telegram Rumanian Premier: Your communiqué to European press, announcing representatives Bessarabia proclaimed union with Rumania and that you regard Bessarabia in future as integral part of Rumania, constitutes challenge to Federative Russian Soviet Republic and flagrant violation of agreement concluded between your predecessor and Russia as to evacuation of Bessarabia within two months. Bessarabia's union with Rumania, moreover, constitutes violation of opinion of local population which has openly pronounced against Rumanian occupation. Your attempt make what is expression of desire only of landed proprietors stand for desire also of Bessarabian peasants and workers evidences complete lack insight, also demands international law. The enforced incorporation of Bessarabia with Rumania will not extinguish brotherly solidarity uniting labor masses of Russia and Bessarabia. Foreign Commissariat, Chicherin. MORRIS CHAPTER VI FINLAND Indefinite Relations with the Russian Provisional Government-Autonomy Law Passed by the Diet, July 18, 1917-Dissolution of the Diet; Elections of October 2, 1917-Labor Disturbances in Protest against Bourgeois Control File No. 861.00/399 The Consul at Petrograd (Winship) to the Secretary of State No. 314 PETROGRAD, June 2, 1917. SIR: I have the honor to report that in the first days following the revolution, the Temporary Government in consultation with Finnish representatives issued a decree abrogating all the encroachments on Finnish constitutional rights made by the old régime in recent years. It was held that the suzerain rights over Finland had passed from the Grand Duke of Finland, Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia, to the Temporary Government, together with all other rights held by Nicholas II in general. It was understood that these rights of the Temporary Government would be handed by it to the Constitutional Assembly. This was accepted by all Finns during the first weeks of the revolution. The first public expression of a different attitude on the part of the Finns was shown in a speech made by the Social Democrat Tokoi, vice president of the Finnish Senate, who indicated that a certain current of opinion in Finland considered the question of Finland's future connection to Russia an open question.1 Soon it was more prominently and unambiguously stated publicly that the Russian revolution had destroyed the juridical bond between Finland and Russia which had existed only in the person of Nicholas II. This opinion denies that the Temporary Government has inherited any rights of sovereignty regarding Finland and, consequently, that the Finnish question will not be within the jurisdiction of the Russian Constitutional Convention, that the relations of Russia and Finland can only be established by the will of the Finnish people itself and by international treaty. Some partisans of this view declare that Finland's relations to Russia ought never to be of a federal nature as this will injure Finland in the interests of Russia. 1 See also the Consul's despatch No. 297, Apr. 30, vol. 1, p. 34. |