File No. 837.00/1165a
The Secretary of State to Minister Gonzales
Washington, March 1, 1917—5 p.m.
The Department instructs him to present Department’s telegram of March 1, 1917, to President Menocal and to emphasize the statement that the Government of the United States will support only constitutional methods for the settlement of disputes and will exert every means in its power as a friend of the Cuban Republic to effect such settlement but until those in rebellion have laid down their arms, etc., the Government of the United States can take no further steps.
To say to President Menocal that no doubt remains as to the victory gained by the Constitutional Government over the rebels and as it is evident that the rebellion is crushed the United States wishes to extend its sincere congratulations to the constituted Government for this triumph. Also to state that as any further fighting would result only in needless loss of life and destruction of an immense amount of property of both Cuban and foreign owners, the United States counsels him in the most earnest manner to make clear to the people of Cuba and to the rest of the world his position as the patriotic advocate of constitutional methods for the settlement of electoral disputes and as the supporter of the mandates of the Supreme Court by immediately issuing a proclamation setting forth that coincident with the laying down of arms by the insurgents and [Page 372] return to their allegiance, elections will be called in Santa Clara and Oriente Provinces and an amnesty granted to those concerned in the revolt.
The Government of the United States as the sincere friend of the Cuban people desires to see a further triumph for the Constitutional Government in demonstrating to all that the only proper solution for difficulties such as the present occasion presents is through means provided by the laws of Cuba and in this case by the mandates of the Supreme Court, the highest judicial body in the Republic. It therefore offers its good offices to the Cuban Government to bring about this solution.
As this is matter of great urgency press for immediate compliance of the President with this Government’s suggestion, pointing out that the destruction which has already occurred and that winch is bound to result from guerrilla warfare ensuing after the dispersing of the larger bands of insurgent forces would probably force this Government to take such action as might destroy the moral effect of the Constitutional Government’s successes.
To cable immediately result of conference with President Menocal.