File No. 839.00/1823
Minister Russell to the Secretary of State
Santo Domingo, May 10, 1916, 11 a.m.
Arias and his patrol, after publicly announcing that the Cabinet Ministers were the constitutional representatives of the executive power after the resignation of the President, now inform me that the Ministers have no authority to perform any acts as successors to the executive power. I am upholding the Ministers.
Our total military force at the capital including those with Admiral Caperton, who has not yet arrived, is less than five hundred. The senior naval officer here thinks that this is sufficient but I do not agree with him. I therefore request that a regiment of marines be sent here at once.
Congress is in session and strong efforts will be made to elect Arias as soon as quorum can be obtained. The members of the Congress who are partisans of Horatio Vasquez are at present preventing quorum as they do not want Arias.
Latest situation: Cabinet likely to resign and intervention seems inevitable.