as to allow a free expression of the will of the Polish people. On August 19 and November 22, 1946, formal notes were addressed to the Polish Provisional Government on this subject. On January 5 this Government brought the situation in Poland to the attention of the British and Soviet Governments and expressed the hope that those Governments would associate themselves with the Government of the United States in an approach to the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity. This proposal was rejected by the Soviet Government. On January 9 this Government delivered a further note to the Polish Provisional Government which stated among other things that if the repressive activities on the part of the Provisional Government did not cease immediately there was little likelihood that elections could be held in accordance with the terms of the Potsdam agreement. The British Government has also protested to the Polish Provisional Government the violation of its election pledges. The reports received from the United States Embassy in Poland in the period immediately prior to the elections as well as its subsequent reports based upon the observations of American officials who visited a number of Polish voting centers confirmed the fears which this Government had expressed that the election would not be free. These reports were corroborated by the general tenor of the dispatches from foreign correspondents in Poland. It is clear that the Provisional Government did not confine itself to the suppression of the so-called "underground" but employed wide-spread measures of coercion and intimidation against democratic elements which were loyal to Poland although not partisans of the Government "bloc". In these circumstances the United States Government cannot consider that the provisions of the Yalta and Potsdam agreements have been fulfilled. The United States Government has made it clear that it has no desire to intervene in the internal affairs of Poland. By virtue of the responsibility which devolved upon it as one of the principal powers engaged in liberating the countries of Europe from Nazi occupation it undertook, together with the British and Soviet Governments, to secure for the long-suffering Polish people the opportunity to select a government of their own choosing. It was in connection with this undertaking that this Government agreed to the decisions respecting Poland that were taken at the Yalta Conference, including the decision to recognize the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity. These decisions with respect to Poland, which were accepted by the Polish Provisional Government in their entirety, formed part of a series of agreements between the United States, British, and Soviet Governments. The United States Government considers that the Polish Provisional Government has failed to carry out its solemn pledges. The United States Government intends to maintain its interest in the welfare of the Polish people. While retaining full liberty of action to determine its future attitude toward the government of Poland, this Government will continue to keep itself informed of developments in Poland through its diplomatic mission in Warsaw. 'Department of State Bulletin of January 26, 1947, p. 164. 274. RECOGNITION OF RUMANIAN GOVERNMENT Statement by the Department of State, February 5, 1946 In accordance with the agreement in regard to Rumania reached by the Foreign Ministers of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom, and the United States at their meeting in Moscow from December 16 to December 26, 1945, a commission comprised of A. Y. Vyshinsky, Ambassador W. Averell Harriman. and Sir A. Clark Kerr has consulted with King Michael and members of the present Government of Rumania in Bucharest. As a result of these discussions and in fulfillment of the provisions of the Moscow Agreement, (1) representatives of the National Peasant Party and the Liberal Party have been included in the Rumanian Government; (2) the Government thus reorganized has declared that free and unfettered elections in which all democratic and anti-Fascist parties will have the right to take part and put forward candidates will be held as soon as possible on the basis of universal and secret ballot; and (3) the Government has also given assurances concerning the grant of freedom of the press, speech, religion, and association. In the circumstances, the United States Political Representative in Rumania, acting under instructions of the Secretary of State, on February 5, 1946, transmitted to the President of the Council of Ministers of the Rumanian Government the following note: "The Government of the United States of America has taken note of the communication of January 8, 1946, addressed to Ambassador William Averell Harriman by the President of the Council of Ministers, Dr. Petru Groza, enclosing a declaration of the Rumanian Government, made at a meeting of the Council of Ministers on January 8. According to this declaration the Council of ministers considered it indispensable that— "One. General elections should be held in the shortest time possible. "Two. The freedom of these elections shall be assured. They shall be held on the basis of universal suffrage and secret ballot with the participation of all democratic and anti-Fascist parties which shall have the right to present candidates. Three. Freedom of the press, speech, religion and assembly shall be assured. "The Government of the United States has been advised of the conversation which took place on January 9th between the President of the Council of Ministers, and the American and British Ambassadors. It has taken note of the oral explanation of the aforementioned declaration which the President of the Council of Ministers made to the American and British Ambassadors in this conversation to the effect that: "One. All political parties represented in the Rumanian Government shall have the right to participate in the elections and to put forward candidates. "Two. The examination of the balloting procedure and counting of the ballots shall take place in the presence of representatives of all the political parties represented in the Government. "Three. All political parties represented in the Government shall be accorded equitable broadcasting facilities for the presentation of their political views. 1 Department of State Bulletin of February 17, 1946, pp. 256-257. "Four. All political parties represented in the Government shall have equal rights to print, publish and distribute their own newspapers and political publications. Newsprint shall be distributed to them on a fair and equitable basis. "Five. All political parties represented in the Government shall have the right to organize associations and hold meetings. They shall be allowed premises for this purpose. "Six. The Council of Ministers will consult with the representatives of the political parties in order to reach agreement concerning the grant of freedom of the press and speech as well as on questions relating to the drafting of the electoral law and the conduct of the elections. "The Government of the United States has taken note of the statement contained in the declaration of the Rumanian Government that the Ministries of Interior, Justice, Cults and Propaganda will be charged with the implementation of the decisions contained in the declaration. It understands from the statement of the President of the Council that these Ministries will not act on their own responsibility but under the close control of the Government as a whole. Although these Ministries will be charged with the technical implementation of these decisions, the Rumanian Government as reconstituted will bear the primary responsibility for their fulfillment and for safeguarding the interests of all the participating parties. "As for the decision to hold elections in the shortest time possible, the Government of the United States confidently expects that arrangements will be undertaken with despatch and would hope that it may be possible to hold the elections at the end of April or early in May of this year. "On the basis of the assurances contained in the declaration of the Rumanian Government and on the understanding that the oral statement of the President of the Council of Ministers, as set forth above, reflects the intentions of the Rumanian Government, the Government of the United States is prepared to recognize the Government of Rumania." 275. UNITED STATES POSITION ON THE CONDUCT OF RUMANIAN ELECTIONS IN 1946 (a) Note From the United States to Rumania, May 27, 1946 1 Upon instructions from my Government, I wish to draw to your Government's attention two aspects of political life in Rumania that are giving concern to the Government of the United States. First, the fact that no election law has been promulgated or date set for the elections, and, secondly, the abuses of the freedoms and particularly the increasing frequency of actions of violence which mock at the application of the freedoms guaranteed by the Rumanian Government through its acceptance of the Moscow decisions. It is now more than four months since the reorganization of the Government and not only has no date been fixed for the elections but no electoral law for such elections has been promulgated. This situation, incompatible with the Moscow decisions, gives the impression that the Government is procrastinating in the fulfilment of its promise. While a measure of free expression has been provided by the authori 1 Department of State Bulletin of June 9, 1946, pp. 1007-1008. 98756-50-77 zation of the National Peasant and National Liberal Parties to publish newspapers, the exercise of censorship has in certain notable instances prevented the free dissemination of public announcements, and the suspension or suppression of papers has restricted the free expression of political views. Thus a form of censorship prevented the prompt and full distribution of the address of the United States Secretary of State on February 28. Important passages were also deleted by censorship from the address of Senator Vandenberg on February 27. In addition to such official impediments to the free dissemination of news, I have been informed of cases where the printers union has exercised an effective censorship and of others where an unequal distribution of newsprint acts as a means of censorship. Access to the state broadcasting facilities, according to my information, remains a monopoly of certain parties within the Government contrary to the Government's commitments under the Moscow decisions. An increasing number of instances have been brought to the attention of this Mission where organized bands of hooligans have broken up meetings called by the National Peasant and National Liberal parties or interfered with movements of members of those parties when going to attend such meetings. While there is little point in listing all such instances, I do desire to state that a sufficient number of them have been investigated or witnessed by American officers to establish beyond any doubt the fact that political violence is on the increase. The legal proceedings against the National Peasant and National Liberal Party members charged as being responsible for incidents on November 8 are continuing, according to Bucharest newspapers dated April 15, in spite of the Prime Minister's assurance to Ambassador Harriman and Sir Archibald Clark Kerr that they would be dismissed. The Ministers of State representing the National Peasant and National Liberal Parties have not been given opportunity to cooperate fully with the Government. Full cabinet meetings are rarely called and important pending legislation frequently is not discussed in them; in many instances Ministers are not given adequate time to study draft laws and in some other important cases decree laws are published without having been submitted to these Ministers for their study. In bringing these matters to your attention, it is my purpose to point out that a definite impression is being created abroad concerning the present Rumanian Government. The impression is that through the Government's actions and inactions, while trying to give the appearance of carrying out the assurances of the Moscow decisions, it is in reality circumventing commitments which it has made. My Government, being a party to the Moscow Agreement, has an interest in seeing that this impression is dispelled. I therefore urge you to take the necessary steps without delay to see that it be dispelled. Accordingly, it is believed that a different impression will be attained through prompt action on the part of the Rumanian Government in implementing the assurances given the Allied Commission in January by promulgating an electoral law and setting a date for elections, at the same time taking adequate measures during this period prior to elections that all democratic parties may put forward their candidates with the assurance that the freedoms set forth in the Moscow decisions apply equally to members of all such parties. (b) Note From the United States to Rumania, June 14, 1946 1 Upon instructions from my Government, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of June 3, 1946 in reply to my communication of May 27 setting forth the views of the United States Government with respect to the non-fulfillment by the Rumanian Government of the assurances which it gave in accepting the decisions of the Moscow Conference.2 Notwithstanding the comments of your note concerning elections, my Government observes that no dates have been fixed for consideration by the Rumanian Government of the draft electoral law to which you allude or for the promulgation of an electoral law. Moreover, no steps have been taken for the registration of the electorate, and still no date has been set for elections. With regard to the other matters in question, my Government considers that the reply of the Rumanian Government presents a wholly inadequate account of the actual situation and contains a number of inaccuracies. In the circumstances, therefore, my Government has instructed me to inform you that it regrets to find the response of the Rumanian Government unsatisfactory, and that it earnestly hopes that the Rumanian Government will see fit to take appropriate steps effectively to implement the assurances it has given. (c) United States Note to Rumanian Government, October 28, 1946 3 I have been instructed to inform you that, subsequent to its notes of May 27 and June 14 and the Rumanian Government's replies thereto, my Government has taken cognizance of the promulgation by the Rumanian Government of an electoral law, of the steps taken for registration of the Rumanian electorate, and of the announcement of a firm date for general legislative elections. It is, however, a matter of concern to my Government that, according to information at its disposal which it regards as reliable, certain aspects of the electoral preparations in Rumania suggest that these elections may not be of the free and equitable character assured by the Rumanian Government in its acceptance of the Moscow Conference decisions nor result in the choice of a Government responsive to the will of the people as envisaged in the Crimean Conference agreement. Specifically, my Government observes the following apparent contraventions of the assurances which it received in January 1946 from the Rumanian Council of Ministers and its President: (1) The freedom of participation in the elections promised in January appears to be seriously endangered in the case of those outside the present governmental electoral Bloc, by various acts of discrimination involving restrictions on registration and by the intimidation of individuals. (2) The participating parties outside the governmental electoral Bloc have been wholly denied the use of broadcasting facilities, 1 Department of State Bulletin of June 30, 1946, p. 1125. For text of United States communication, see above. |