837.00/3049
The Ambassador in Cuba (Guggenheim) to the Secretary of State
Habana, April 21, 1931.
[Received April
24.]
No. 662
Sir: I have the honor to report that direct
negotiations between the opposition and the President towards solution
of the country’s political problems have been held in abeyance, due to
the President’s absence from Habana for about ten days until last
evening, as reported in my telegram No. 73, April 15, 2 P.M.20
In the meanwhile I have had numerous conferences with leaders of both the
Government and the opposition, who are in a position either to aid or
hinder an agreement. For your information, I enclose copy of memoranda
dictated after these conferences, which complete the record in your
possession of these conferences since the memoranda forwarded as
enclosure No. 1 to despatch No. 638 of April 8, 1931.20
Respectfully yours,
[Enclosure—Extract]
Memorandum by the Ambassador in Cuba (Guggenheim)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
On April 9th, I lunched with President Machado at his finca and discussed with him the conferences
that have been taking place in the past days regarding which I had
sent him information through Doctor Fernández. After a great deal of
discussion and repetition of the arguments that have been so
frequently presented, the President reiterated his general approval
and his readiness to acquiesce in the features of the plan including
the date of presidential reelection, constitutional reforms and the
Coalition Cabinet. In regard to the dates of Congressmen and
Senators, he said that he was not in any position to go beyond the
original Cortina plan for a reduction of two years for Senators and
three years for Congressmen. Unfortunately, Cortina had not seen the
President before my visit. Whether the President was merely trying
to protect himself, or whether he was waiting for me to demand a
further reduction in the terms of Congressmen and Senators, I do not
know. I, of course, did not make any such demand. I used every
argument at my command, however, to point out that, in the interests
of Cuba and in his own personal interest and that of the Congressmen
and Senators involved, a compromise should be found. The last word
of the President was that he would send for
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Cortina and get him to work with Congressmen
and Senators in order that a satisfactory compromise might be
achieved.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
