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

863.00/4–1646: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the United States Political Adviser for Austria (Erhardt)

secret

Washington, April 24, 1946—4 p.m.

406. Under circumstances reported urtels 522 Apr 12,⁹² 548 Apr 16,⁹³ and 554 Apr 17,⁹⁴ Dept concurs that US element should not press for immediate local elections but does not necessarily agree that elections should be indefinitely postponed or tied to long-range objectives such as withdrawal occupation forces.

Following considerations are proposed for your comment as principles which might guide US policy with regard to local elections:

1. US should consistently support Austrian constitutional provisions concerning time and method of local elections.

2. Elections should be held uniformly and simultaneously in all four zones. No elections should be held exclusively in any one zone.

3. Elections should be held as soon as four powers and Austrian Govt are satisfied that fair elections can be held on uniform basis throughout Austria as a whole.

4. An effort should be made to break down zonal compartments and to establish uniformity of economic and social conditions throughout Austria prior to elections. At present this can only be achieved after UNRRA inaugurates operations in Austria as a whole.

5. If any conditions are attached, elections should be postponed until complete repatriation of Austrian POWs except those held for security reasons in order to give entire Austrian population opportunity to participate.

6. Machinery for quadripartite supervision from Vienna should be established to assure fair elections in Austria and to receive any postelection comments. Actual supervision in localities should be entrusted to normal constitutional provisions and to any three-party boards which the Austrians may establish.

US position, therefore, should be based throughout on necessity of creating situation enabling democratic procedures to be established in localities consistent with national elections of 1945. Pending holding of local elections US group should urge extension of practice of installing local governments composed of three-party representatives conforming to results of national elections, if this practice is not followed in other zones.

New national election is not desirable nor warranted at this time in view of fair election in November and recognition of Austrian Govt. If local elections are held and Socialists demand new national election on basis of results, information available here indicates that results would be proportionately same as November. If Socialists won national election, however, there is no assurance that change in Govt would affect Soviet policy or assist four-power agreement unless merger carried out by Socialists and Communists as in Germany. Such merger obviously impossible in Austria at this time, but press accounts and intelligence summary detail efforts by Communists in Soviet zone to merge with Socialists. Have you any information on “patriotic unions” and “Free Austrian Democratic Associations” in Soviet zone, as well as report that Soviets have established differential rations for specific industrial establishments?

Dept would appreciate your comments on foregoing in order that definite instructions may be worked out with War Dept.

Acheson

92. Not printed, but see footnote 81, p. 327.
93. In telegram 548 Mr. Erhardt reported that Mr. Figl had expressed the view that “there could be no more elections in Austria until after all occupation forces have been withdrawn on ground that fair elections could not be held in Soviet zone”. Mr. Renner, on the other hand, stated that an election should be held only after the return of the Austrian prisoners of war from abroad. (863.00/4–1646)
94. In telegram 554 Mr. Erhardt reported signs of possible severe industrial unrest owing to food shortage, plant shut downs due to lack of raw materials, and current protest meetings by workers (863.5018/4–1746).