File No. 123.G35/54.

The President to the President of Cuba.

By Your Excellency’s telegram I am happy to receive the expression of profound regret at the assault perpetrated upon the Chargé d’Affaires of the United States of America and the expressions of strong condemnation of that act and of the vicious press attacks being made upon the American Legation, and the assurances of Your Excellency’s intention that both shall be dealt with according to the rigor of the law. I am only sorry that these assurances did not arrive before it had become necessary to represent to the Government of Cuba the extreme gravity of this case, which apparently had not at first been realized by the competent officials of Your Excellency’s Government. Assured as I now am of your Government’s attitude, I can not doubt but that the measures discussed by the Acting Secretary of State with the Cuban Minister at Washington will have the desired result of preventing this disagreeable incident from having even a transient effect upon those feelings of sincere friendship which I am glad to believe continues undiminished between the two countries.

Wm. H. Taft.