Your telegram No. 273. [1] The advice of the Netherlands Embassy
at Washington may have been designed to confuse the State
Department at a time when early decisions were vital. Contrary to
this the advice of the Netherlands reply of October 4th [2] was
not satisfactory to the Americans, who have so far been unable to
have it changed.

2. The resulting delay is having serious effects in the Republic
where there is now little hope of assistance from the Dutch, the
Committee, or the State Department.

3. Although in military control of the internal situation the
Republican Government will not be able to eradicate quickly the
communists, who are engaging in guerilla tactics. The Republican
Forces, already seriously short of transport, will be further
immobilized if the reports of fires at the oil refineries and
storage depots at Tjepoe are confirmed. With the prevailing fear
in the Republic that the Netherlands intend further military
action, there is serious concern that the Republic should be
weakening itself by internal dissension.

4. All these factors may lead moderate Republican elements to a
policy of despair, namely the calling off of all negotiations and
an attempt to consolidate the people by military action against
the main enemy the Dutch.

5. The position therefore is extremely critical and days rather
than weeks are vital. I have endeavoured to impress this on
Cochran who has avoided building up the Republican hopes but is
expecting advice from the State Department this weekend .3