[Enclosure—Extract]
Quarterly Report of the American Legation in
Cuba
1. POLITICAL INFORMATION
A. Domestic
(1) On May 10th the National Convention of the Liberal Party met
in Habana for the purpose of nominating candidates for the
elections of November 1920. Upon General José Miguel Gomez fell
the choice for President while Doctor Zayas was named for the
Vice-Presidency. The vote was 83 to 8, the preponderance in
favor of General Gomez being enlarged by the fact that all but
three Zayas members absented themselves from the meeting.
Although the Convention was called at the behest of Doctor Zayas
in April, he later attempted to prevent its gathering at this
time, and in fact issued instructions to his supporters not to
attend. He was apparently cognizant of the fact that under
present conditions he could not hope to secure the nomination
for the Presidency, and was unwilling to fill the place of
secondary importance. This hypothesis was borne out the next day
when Doctor Zayas refused to accept the candidacy for Vice
President. The split between the two rivals is now so broad that
it will be difficult to procure any sort of amalgamation between
Miguelistas and Zayistas, and the possibility of the two leaders
appearing on the same ticket is even more remote.
The Liberal Party held its Convention in spite of the agreement,
which it could hardly have been unaware existed, between General
Crowder and the Joint Congressional Committee which would
invalidate tickets nominated before the calendar year of the
elections. Although the Conservatives were to hold their party
convention in May, Doctor Rafael Montalvo, whom it was expected
they would nominate, requested his supporters to discontinue
their political agitation for the time. Through his advocacy of
the step the gathering was postponed until, it is to be assumed,
1920. Both parties to all appearances are now reconciled to
waiting, notwithstanding such sporadic movements as the
launching by the friends of General Emilio Nunez a short while
ago of a quiet campaign in his behalf.
The resignation of Doctor Patterson, the Sub-secretary of State,
was a disappointment to the Diplomatic Corps, as he was always
deemed capable and showed a marked disposition to cooperate with
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the foreign
representatives on any subject which contained a common meeting
point. His resignation is thought to be caused by disagreement
over certain appointments.
In the light of Cuba’s larger political history the work of
General Crowder and his staff cannot fail to be regarded as
epoch making. With the task nearing its completion a brief
indication of the lines it has followed would not be
inappropriate as a matter of record. The original undertaking
for which the General came to Cuba, the Electoral Law, is still
before the Joint Congressional Commission. Constructive and
helpful criticism by that body is aiding the army staff in the
final polishing of the law which has as its primary motive the
providing of an active electoral register and the establishment
of a system of honest elections. The Law should very shortly be
ready for presentation to Congress as it has the hearty approval
of the Committee.
The Ortiz Census Bill, in the amended form which General Crowder
has drafted, provides for a Cuban Director and Sub-Director to
be selected by the President from a list submitted by a National
Board. The method of procedure of appointment as nearly as
possible precludes “politics”. To insure the efficient
administration of its functions, the census machinery is to be
guided by an American Advisor and six technical experts from the
United States. This Bill has passed the House and in its
original form the Senate, so that when the thirty days
suspension of the Constitutional Guarantees has elapsed on the
11th of July it will go before the President with no obstacle to
prevent its becoming law immediately. In this connection it is
interesting to note that on the assumption of the bill’s
inclusion in the statutes and with the entire approval of
President Menocal, Major Harold E. Stephenson has quietly opened
offices and in the capacity of advisor has so far perfected the
plans and arrangements that the actual work of taking the census
may be initiated the moment the law receives its final
signature.
General Crowder regards two amendments to the Judiciary Code as
of almost equal importance to the larger work of his office.
These alterations in the code as it now stands would first of
all put Municipal Judges into the category of judges of career,
an obviously important step, the more so now that under the new
Electoral Law they are to be the tribunal before which election
disputes are to be brought. Secondly the appointment of the
municipal judiciary is to be safeguarded against political
influence.
. . . . . . .
