837.00/1737

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Cuba ( White )

No. 166

Sir: The Department observes from your August 24, 7 p.m.27 that President Menocal has not made public the purport of its note of June 4, as was to be expected from the assurances of the Cuban Minister to Washington.

About July 15 Minister Céspedes called at the Department to describe the embarrassment in which President Menocal would be [Page 17] placed (through decline in the prestige of his administration) should he publish ours of June 4 and suggested that the President might easily make public the points or substance of our note. The Minister transmitted to his Government a redraft of the document worded so that President Menocal might give it to the press or issue it as a message to the Cuban people.

If, by the time this instruction reaches you, President Menocal has adopted either suggestion, without material changes in text, the necessity for your Legation to make public the Department’s note under discussion will have disappeared; otherwise you may inform the President that if acceptable publicity is not given to the note in three days your Legation will publish it. Should the President of Cuba fail to act you will publish the note in the manner which seems to you to be most appropriate.

I am [etc.]

Bainbridge Colby
  1. Not printed.