File No. 837.00/737a.
[Untitled]
With a letter from President Gómez accrediting him with a confidential mission, Mr. Ferrara called this morning and indicated that the reports to this Government as to the situation in Cuba had been very much exaggerated and that it was particularly important that the Cuban Government itself should put down the insurrection in order to discourage future insurrections based on a hope of provoking American intervention. No disapproval of protection of American interests by the marines now landed or such as might be [Page 261] landed was felt, he said; but it is hoped that they would not be called upon to suppress the insurrection, leaving that to the Cuban forces. He greatly desires that something friendly to the Cuban Government should be expressed by this Government. I told him that the United States hopes and believes the Cuban Government will, by prompt and effective measures, be able to suppress the insurrection, and that the sending of the vessels to Habana last night indicates no change in this Government’s policy of nonintervention. The vessels were sent solely to provide some place and means of safety and protection for Americans and other foreigners and for such moral effect as they might have. The minister, Rivero, urges that the ships be withdrawn from Habana. What are your views concerning this request? Rivero asserts most positively that no one was killed in the troubles in Habana.