Paris Peace Conf. 181.9202/104: Telegram
General Bandholtz to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
[Received September 13—10:30 a.m.]
65. Roumanian requisitions of rolling stock to September 8th include 1,160 passenger coaches, 62 court and special cars, 21 sleeping cars, 16 postal cars, 281 service cars, 15,161 ordinary freight cars, 7,713 flat cars, 1,767 oil tanks, 678 engines, and 289 miscellaneous. [Page 677] Hundreds of Transylvanians who refused to take oath of allegiance of [to] King of Roumania have been deported and are coming to Budapest and vicinity, thereby complicating the supply situation.
At request of Lieutenant Colonel Causey, Roumanian Commander in Chief was requested to turn over Hungarian telegraph line No. 264, so that the Peace Conference might have direct communication with Belgrade. General Mardarescu stated that he referred this matter to his Engineer Officer and would expedite a reply in every way possible.
General Bandholtz’s entire procedure while in Bucharest was read his colleagues and met with their unanimous approval. A commission has left this date to investigate the report of the large quantity of Mackensen38 supplies and Roumanian officials asked this date what we intended to do in regard to this question and were told that instructions to the Mission specifically included disposition of Mackensen material and that the Allies would take charge of and be responsible for same. It is reported that the Roumanians are deporting from Budapest to Roumania 1,000 iron workers with the object of making them set up and operate the seized machinery. This is being investigated. Generals Mardarescu and Holban and M. Diamandi appeared before Mission this date, it was understood for the purpose of farewell call on the Mission, but nothing of kind came up. Several matters were discussed, but nothing settled except question of Mackensen material. Meeting was interrupted to attend review of Roumanian division at which all members of the Mission were present.
Diamandi stated that Roumania had unearthed Koran [sic] Hungarian conspiracy against Roumanian Army and Government, that Friedrich, Hungary’s Prime Minister, seriously implicated. This being further investigated, probably Roumania will use this as pretext to get rid of Friedrich.
- Field Marshal August Mackensen, formerly in command of German forces in Roumania.↩