Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, The British Commonwealth, Western and Central Europe, Volume V

840.811/11–346

Memorandum by the Secretary of State to President Truman⁸⁵

Washington, November 1, 1946.

Subject: Danube river craft belonging to Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria and Austria now in United States Zones of Occupation in Germany and Austria.

As you are aware this Government has been retaining in its possession in United States zones of occupation in Germany and Austria a number of Danube barges and other river craft belonging to Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria and Austria. We have been motivated to that action by our desire to reach international agreement in regard to freedom of navigation on the Danube. I believe that General Clark and Minister Erhardt discussed this matter with you recently.⁸⁶

The Peace Conference at Paris has now approved by a two-thirds majority recommendations for the inclusion in the Rumanian, Bulgarian and Hungarian treaties of clauses which provide for freedom of navigation on the Danube and for the calling of an international conference within six months of the ratification of those treaties with a view to the establishment of a permanent international Danube regime.

We are of course conscious of the possibility that the Soviets may veto the final acceptance of this recommendation or, if they accept it, may take measures locally which in fact will prevent the realization of such freedom of navigation. However, it seems to us that, having obtained the approval of our views by an international body, we have extracted all the bargaining power possible from our retention of these river craft, which are in fact needed by the countries concerned to assist in their economic rehabilitation, and that the occasion of this decision by the Peace Conference affords us an opportunity to capitalize on the return of the barges such as may not be forthcoming at a later date. Accordingly, if you approve, we propose to return the Czechoslovak, Yugoslav, Hungarian, Rumanian and Bulgarian vessels. In doing so, we would still retain some 400 Austrian and German river craft, the disposition of which is involved in separate negotiations.⁸⁷

I also would propose to make our position in the matter known to the press along the lines suggested in the attached statement.

James F. Byrnes

[Enclosure]

Draft for the Press

The Paris Conference has recommended by a two-thirds majority that the Peace Treaties with Bulgaria, Rumania, and Hungary include clauses providing that navigation on the Danube river shall be free and open to the nationals, vessels of commerce and goods of all states and that a conference of all interested states shall be convened within six months of the coming into force of those treaties to establish a new permanent international regime for the Danube.

It has been with a view to the achievement of international agreement along these lines that the United States Government has been holding some 450 Yugoslav, Czechoslovak, Hungarian, Rumanian, and Bulgarian river craft found in United States zones of occupation in Germany and Austria. Consequently, the United States Government is now taking the necessary steps to return such river craft to the Governments of their ownership.

It may be noted that the United States Government has never questioned the ownership of these vessels by Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Rumania, and Bulgaria, and hopes that, in consonance with the terms of the international recommendation which has now been made, the river craft which are being returned will operate freely, throughout the whole navigable extent of the river.

85. The memorandum was returned to the Secretary with the handwritten notation on the margin, “Approved Nov. 3, ’46, Harry S. Truman”.

86. In a memorandum of October 21, 1946, to the Secretary, Mr. Matthews wrote:

    “About a week ago Gen. Clark and Mr. Erhardt were at the White House and on that occasion the President asked Gen. Clark whether we were still holding the Danubian barges. Gen. Clark replied that we were. The President replied ‘keep them.’” (840.811/10–2146)

87. In a circular telegram of November 7, 1946, Acheson informed a number of American missions abroad that arrangements were being made to return the Danube river crafts belonging to Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Rumania, and Bulgaria (840.811/11–746).