817.00/6218: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Nicaragua ( Hanna )
71. Your despatch No. 914 of February 13. Before reaching a definite decision regarding the designation of an American citizen to act as President of the National Board of Elections, I should like to have more complete information regarding the facilities which would be accorded to this official in performing his duties. It would be desirable, in order to assure full impartiality in the conduct of the elections, to have Americans also as Chairmen of the Departmental Electoral Boards, and it is believed that each of these Americans, to assure efficient administration, would require two American [Page 649] assistants. With the necessary office force in the Central Board a total force of approximately forty-five Americans would be needed. The expense of an election conducted with such an organization would of course be materially less than the expense of the 1928 election, when a very much more elaborate organization was required.
If an American nominated by this Government is to assume responsibility in connection with the elections it would be necessary that the existing law should be so amended as to give the Departmental and National Boards the same authority to regulate the electoral machinery and to decide electoral appeals and contests and other disputes which the electoral boards enjoyed in 1928; and also so as to give the Chairman of the National Board authority to call upon the Chief of the National Guard for assistance in electoral matters if he should find it necessary to do so.
I do not think that it would be either necessary or desirable for the American officials to reside permanently in Managua, as their services would be needed only for a few months before and immediately after each biennial election. It would obviously be more economical for the Nicaraguan Government not to employ them on a full time basis.
If President Moncada concurs in the views above set forth you will be authorized to discuss in more detail with the President the necessary changes in the electoral law, Further instructions will be sent to you for this purpose.