Paris Peace Conf. 863.5010/4: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
[Received December 18—1:25 p.m.]
39. Following received from Swedish Legation dated December 13, 1918.
“At the meeting of the neutral chiefs of Mission the Lord Mayor of Vienna gave the following statement on the coal question:
‘The coal supply of the gas works will only last 14 days even at the lowest possible rate of consumption. If gas coal cannot be brought before the end of this period from the mines now in the possession of the Poles or Czechs, or the Upper Silesia, from which mines all importation has been prevented by the Czechs in spite of lengthy negotiations, 200,000 homes only provided with gas last Tuesday will be robbed of every possibility to prepare hot food and there will be no lights in the streets or houses.
The electric works can with the lowest rate of consumption of their coal supply deliver electric current for another 3 weeks at the most. If no coal is sent from Bohemia or Germany, the electric tramways, the lighting and all motors must stop and the consequence of this will be enormous non-employment. There are in public stores supplies of lignite for the heating of houses to last a fortnight. If importation of coal cannot be effected the result will be disorder and pillage and probably the stopping of all railway traffic and the food situation will become more complicated than ever. The inhabitants of Vienna have during the last political revolution in spite of all privations carried themselves with unparalleled calm and consideration but in the presence of such a catastrophe no authority can take the responsibility for the maintenance of order.
[Page 677]The only quarters wherefrom coal can be obtained for gas, electricity and domestic use is from and via Bohemia. There is still enough coal for their own use as well as Vienna’s in spite of the want of labor. Up to the present time the Czechs have stopped all importation as well as transit from Poland and Silesia with the exception of an insufficient quantity of coal for domestic purposes.
It is true that France at the request of Switzerland has begged the government of Bohemia to supply coal for Vienna but up till now nothing has arrived. In conformity with other neutral ministers the Swedish Minister at Vienna has asked the Swedish Government to communicate the above to the Entente Powers praying in the name of humanity that these Powers will request the Government of Bohemia most insistently to allow Vienna coal for the most necessary consumption; and—to avoid that the transportation should be prevented by subordinates—allow the trains to go from Poland and Silesia under special guard.
If this request is not granted within the next few days Vienna will face a catastrophe.
Communicate the above to the United States.’”
Swedish Legation informed question has been referred to you.