817.00/5290: Telegram
The Chargé in Nicaragua (Munro) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:42 p.m.]
35. I have been told that the Chamber of Deputies has not yet sent the substitute electoral bill to the Senate and that before doing so desperate efforts are being made to persuade the Senate not to reject it. It is now being seen, perhaps, that failure to pass any electoral law will leave the electoral machinery largely in the hands of the Liberals. Also, I think that the Chamber of Deputies is becoming apprehensive over assuming the sole responsibility for defying the United States.
After talking to President Diaz this morning regarding the Department’s No. 17, January 17, 11 a.m., which plainly disturbed him, I went on to state that the United States, of course, would not permit matters to remain as the Chamber of Deputies had left them; that I would be obliged to make recommendations for dealing with the situation; but that I desired to go somewhat slowly because I was still much interested in having a genuinely fair election in Nicaragua and did not desire to do any avoidable injury to either party, and because I was still certain that he really desired to fulfill his obligations to the United States. I made the suggestion, therefore, that he make a special effort with his friends in the Chamber of Deputies, not by addressing the Deputies as a whole, but by bringing influence to bear on them individually, until he could take away at least six or more [Page 440] votes from the majority against the electoral law. I told the President that I would give him a few days to do this before I recommended any further action by the Department.
I informed the President of my conversation yesterday with the Deputies. I told him that while I had absolutely no instructions except to insist on the adoption of the project of the Department as it stood, I should be willing personally to recommend such changes in form as did not in any manner lessen General McCoy’s powers, if and when I should feel convinced that the Chamber of Deputies had really changed its attitude and would accept the project without further changes. Will the Department kindly inform me whether it would under such circumstances agree to the addition of a few articles setting forth the principal features of the electoral procedure so as to meet the objection that the project does not cover many phases which are properly matters for legislation rather than for regulation? Of course, I intend to consult General McCoy before accepting any changes.