File No. 839.51/1745
Minister Russell to the Secretary of State
Santo Domingo, May 29, 1916.
Referring to your No. 139 of September 17 last,11 I think time is opportune for enforcing our interpretation of Article 3 of the Convention [Page 250] by restoring financial control. If the Department instructs, I will address a communication to the Council of Ministers in above sense, and if negative reply results we are in position to enforce. Receivership might be instructed to collect all revenues, both customs and internal, and act as disbursing officer of the Dominican Republic, complying with provisions of budget. Question of the constabulary could be taken up later, as well as all other proposed amendments to the Convention as outlined in No. 139. Several members of Congress have approached me in the last few days and indicated willingness to come to a frank and clear understanding with our Government in each case, what we want and what we could offer in return. If all our reform proposals are embodied in a treaty, we might include control of telegraph and telephones, Puerto Plata Railway, naval base in Samaná Bay, and, in return, financial aid for canceling debt.