837.78/32: Telegram
The Minister in Cuba (Long) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received January 12—4:36 a.m.]
8. Department’s cable number 7. I sent military attache to confer with the Secretary of the Interior after I had waited several days for the decree to be published, and have received the following report:
[Page 816]President Menocal has signed the decree of suspension and took action thereon by sending guards to Cojimar to prevent cable construction. The following reasons were given for not publishing officially the decree in the Official Gazette: (1) the Government of Cuba hesitates for fear that the Western Union will make a claim for indemnity of several million dollars; (2) the Government of the United States has made no official request to the Cuban Government to suspend the concession.
The Government has been requested to-day [by the Company?] to permit its work on the cable to continue, as published in Associated Press despatches. Undersecretary has informed Mr. Carlton19 that the Government of the United States has not asked Cuban Government to suspend concession. It has developed, upon inquiry, that whenever the Cuban Government considers it to be best for its welfare, it can at any time suspend the concession, and that as this provision actually exists textually in the concession one reason for withholding official publication is therefore invalid. The fact that the Government of the United States has not made request is probably the real reason why the decree has not been published. Upon inquiries made by the local press, the information given has invariably been that the Legation has not yet taken steps to bring about the suspension of the permit. I request instructions.
- Newcomb Carlton, president, Western Union Telegraph Co.↩