Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Central and Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

762B.00/10–450: Telegram

The United States High Commissioner for Germany (McCloy) to the United States Liaison Office at Bonn¹

secret

Frankfort, October 4, 1950—9 p. m.

57. PEPCO, at October 3 meeting, reached these conclusions re Soviet zone elections which you may wish discuss with British, French and Germans:

1. Meeting of Allies and Germans should take place, as you suggested, next week, preferably October 11, to exchange information and views and, if possible, decide on common line.

2. If information on nature of ballot still not available at that time, small group in Berlin should be delegated authority to make decision on basis last minute information and intelligence reports. Think it likely precise information will not become available until last minute, by which time it may be too late coordinate views between Berlin, Bonn and here. Think Berlin group should represent major parties, through delegates appointed from Berlin, and Kaiser Ministry. Delegates from each Allied element could be attached in advisory capacities.

3. If delegation decision to Berlin group agreeable, think Germans should begin thinking now of who delegates will be.

4. Latest intelligence available here indicates that it may not be possible invalidate ballots, that Soviets may print several types of ballots to throw us off track, and that as of yesterday no ballots yet printed.

5. We are still reluctant to go along with approach of encouraging east Germans to vote “yes”, e. g., of taking affirmative action required to endorse ballot. If it proves impossible instruct on method invalidation, we think best line would be to encourage electorate to go through voting procedure in normal fashion, to do what Soviets require, and not to expose themselves to danger or reprisals. Though this adds up to same thing as “vote yes” line, we feel it better inform electorate to act like Soviet-tended sheep than to tell them to go out and register affirmation of ballot.

Sent Bonn 57 for Liaison Office repeated info Berlin 193 Department 2838.

McCloy

1. At Bonn, the Liaison and Political Reporting Division of the Office of the U.S. High Commissioner for Germany maintained contact with British and French officials and with officials of the Federal Republic of Germany.

   The source text was sent as 2838 to the Department of State.