Office of the Historian

Department of the Army Files: Telegram

No. 812
The Chief of the Military Representation on the Allied Control Commission for Rumania (Schuyler) to the War Department1
secret
priority
[Bucharest,] 24 July 1945.

M 1285 from Schuyler Rumania to AGWar for WarOpDiv info ComGenMed, ACC Hungary, ACC Bulgaria, and ComGenMilMis.

Under the new plan for operation of the ACC as outlined to you in my M 1250 of 16 July,2 frequent discussions are to be held by the [Page 710] Chief Allied representatives relative to important ACC activities. This new operational policy places on the chief US and British representatives the specific responsibility for examining and discussing in joint conferences all current or proposed future ACC policies and for having [been?] either definitely in agreement with or opposed to each such policy. In this situation I feel that as chief US representative I can no longer remain silent relative to certain policies which have been placed in effect in the name of the ACC and which I believe the United States Government would not desire to support. Full information on these policies has already been furnished. The position which I feel I should take in each case is summarized briefly below:

1.
Under Article 73 the ACC has required the delivery to Russia as “War Booty” of considerable quantities of industrial equipment including oil pipe, tubing and casing, on the ground that such equipment originated in Germany. I propose to protest that [the] application of this policy to any industrial equipment, regardless of its origin, which can be shown to have been actually purchased and paid for prior to 23 August 1944.4 I am informed that a similar protest has been made to the Soviet Government by the US Ambassador in Moscow.5
2.
Under Article 8 the ACC has required delivery to USSR of German held oil shares and bank stocks in Rumania. Since I have already protested this action, no further steps are necessary. Moreover I am aware that the matter is being discussed on governmental levels.
3.
Under Article 10 the ACC is requiring Rumania to maintain and subsist large Russian forces which are now being retained on Rumanian soil, apparently for the convenience of Soviet Russia. I propose to protest the application of Article 10 after the conclusion of hostilities with Germany to any Russian forces other than those actually in transit back to Russia. I do not feel it necessary to discuss at this time a previous interpretation by Russia under which, prior to the end of hostilities, Rumania was required to subsist large Russian forces outside of Rumanian territories.
4.
I propose to protest the present ACC interpretation of Article 12 whereby Rumania is being required to repay Russia in kind for large amounts of grain, cattle and other similar items removed or consumed by Rumanian forces during their occupation of Russian territory. My position will be that articles and materials to be returned to Soviet Russia under this article would not include products of the soil or subsoil or other items which have since been consumed, destroyed or otherwise removed from Rumanian territory, compensation for removal of all such items being provided by the reparations payments under Article 11.
5.
I propose to recommend a change in present censorship policies under Article 16 so as to prohibit Rumanian censors from preventing the publication or distribution on Rumanian territory of American newspapers and magazine articles or other American literature or films. I propose to take the stand that the only censorship in Rumania for Russian, British or American literature or films should be that exercised by the ACC itself. (See Mr. Melbourne’s cable number 71 [471] dated 15 July6).
6.
I propose to point out that the continued retention by Soviet Russia of vessels of the Rumanian Navy is not provided for in the armistice, and to urge that since hostilities have now ceased, all such vessels be returned to Rumania.

I shall of course await your concurrence or other instructions before proceeding further with this matter. I have discussed the question with the Acting US Representative in Rumania who concurs in the desirability of bringing the entire matter to your attention at this time.

  1. Sent to the Commanding General, United States Army Forces, Mediterranean Theater of Operations, Caserta, for relay. Received by the United States Delegation to the Berlin Conference on July 24 as a retransmission from the War Department.↩
  2. See document No. 797, footnote 3.↩
  3. Of the armistice with Rumania signed at Moscow, September 12, 1944 (Executive Agreement Series No. 490; 59 Stat. (2) 1712).↩
  4. i. e., before the surrender of Rumania.↩
  5. W. Averell Harriman. See vol. i, document No. 323.↩
  6. Document No. 321, printed in vol. i.↩