File No. 839.00/1925
Minister Russell to the Secretary of State
Santo Domingo, September 14, 1916, 10 a.m.
The President has issued a decree discharging the two battalions of the army with the exception of the chiefs and their staffs and abolishing the office of military commander throughout the Republic. Discharged soldiers can join rural guard upon application and after examination as to fitness. Rural guard is about up to its budget complement including about one half civilians and these places of civilians will probably be given to the discharged soldiers. President states that it is constitutionally impossible for him to agree to the formation of the constabulary as proposed by us but that he will ask the President of the United States to submit to him the names of American military officers to take charge of the reorganization and management of the army under four years contract. The decree discharging the army is not the result of any negotiations with me but rather from the fact that the men were deserting for the reason that they were not being paid. I would strongly recommend that we do not recede from our position in regard to the constabulary but something definite should be done at once in regard to this as with the suspension of payments we are creating a condition of internal disturbances that we must suppress and in addition innocent people are being made to suffer through the refusal of this Government to grant our demands.