839.00/2533
The Minister in the Dominican Republic
(Russell)
to the Secretary of
State
Santo
Domingo, June 7,
1922.
[Received June 22.]
No. 768
Sir: I have the honor to refer generally to the
subject of political conditions in the Dominican Republic and in
particular to my telegrams No. 19 of April 24 [25], 5 p.m., and No. 22 of May 26, 5 p.m., 1922,18 relative to the
contemplated visit of Mr. Federico Velasquez19 and Mr. Jacinto de Castro20 to
Washington to discuss disoccupation, and in that connection to transmit
herewith, for the information of the Department, a copy of notes on a
conference held June 3rd between the above named political leaders and
the Military Governor and myself.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure]
Notes on a Conference of the Military
Governor (Robison) and the American Minister (Russell)
with Federico Velasquez and Jacinto de Castro,
June 3, 1922
At the request of Mr. Velasquez and Mr. de Castro the Military
Governor and the American Minister held a conference with them in
the office of the Military Governor on Saturday, June 3, 1922, in
regard to the trip which they intend making to the United States for
the purpose of reaching an agreement with the State Department as to
the terms and method of dis-occupation of the Dominican Republic,
Mr. Velasquez and Mr. de Castro expressed opinions on different
subjects pertaining to the disoccupation as follows:
- (a)
- Ratification and validation of the acts of the Military
Government—That they interpreted this to mean ratification
and validation only of those acts of the Military Government
done for and in the name of the Dominican Republic, and not
the acts of the Forces of Occupation performed for and in
the name of the United States Government. They wished to
know, however, which government would be responsible for any
damages to foreign subjects that may have been incurred by
the acts of the Military Government for the Dominican
Republic, and were told that this would be a matter to be
settled in the negotiations of the United States and the
Dominican plenipotentiaries prior to the disoccupation, and
they agreed that this was the best procedure.
- (b)
- Holding of Elections—That elections should be held under
convocatory order of the Military Governor under the present
election law, with such minor changes as may be found
necessary and desirable, one desirable change being the
inclusion of a prior registration requirement for voters.
They stated their objection to the holding of elections
under any of the several plans formulated by various
Dominicans and bodies of Dominicans, such as under
convocatory order of the Supreme Court or by a restoration
party in accordance with the Plan of Puerto Plata, such
bodies not being authorized by law to hold elections, and
requiring either a change in the constitution or an
Executive Order of the Military Government clothing them
with the power, and a further objection that these bodies
could not properly control the public forces necessary for
the holding of a fair and orderly election.
- (c)
- Plan of Puerto Plata21—That neither of
them were in accord with this plan and did not consider it
practical, and that no one of the principal party leaders
now subscribed to this plan.
- (d)
- Method of announcing agreement on the part of political
party leaders to go to elections—That this announcement
should be made by proclamation of the Military Governor,
stating in simple form the basis of the agreement which the
party leaders had reached with the United States
Government.
- (e)
- Form of cooperation of party leaders in the organization
and training of the P[olicia] N[acional] D[ominicana]—That
this cooperation be given by them as party leaders and
responsible citizens, both privately and publicly, and that
it was not necessary for them to hold any government office
in order to render efficient cooperation in this
matter.
- 2.
- When questioned as to the length of time before they
considered that all the Forces of Occupation could be withdrawn
and asked for an intimation as to how they proposed to meet the
announced requirements of the United States Government in this
country, Mr. de Castro outlined his tentative plan as follows:
- (1)
- An agreement being reached with the United States
Government, preparations for elections, the holding of
elections for both houses of congress and a president,
and the installation of a properly constituted Dominican
Government, could be accomplished not prior to February
1, 1923.
- (2)
- An agreement once reached, the party leaders would
assist the organization of the P. N. D. by supplying the
best officer material in the Republic, and that these
and the other officers already trained would furnish a
nucleus for further training under a Dominican
Government without need of further instruction of
American Officers.
- (3)
- That the President-elect be installed in office one
month after his election, as required by the
constitution; his election and installation into office
being under the agreement of the party leaders with the
United States Government, so that after his taking of
the oath of office, both he and the congress of the
Dominican Republic would be bound to make such a treaty
with the United States Government as outlined in the
said agreement.
- 3.
- The Military Governor pointed out that the presence of a
Military Governor and a President of the Republic in office
would be conductive to friction. Mr. de Castro did not agree,
but made no satisfactory explanation of how this difficulty
could be avoided. The Military Governor further pointed out
that, under the plans outlined by Mr. de Castro, sufficient
training for the P. N. D. would not be insured, and that this
would not meet the requirement of the United States Government
that the P. N. D. be left in such state that peace and good
order would be guaranteed. He further urged that the party
leaders make some provision in this respect to meet the
requirement of the United States Government that this national
police force be properly organized and trained, either before or
after the disoccupation. Both Mr. de Castro and Mr. Velasquez
saw no personal objection to the Dominican President asking for
American Officer instructors after his installation into office,
but were of the opinion that, as public opinion was so firm
against any form of military mission, that such action on the
part of a Dominican President would be out of the question. In
this respect Mr. Velasquez showed some inclination to
compromise, and it is believed that he has some proposed
solution which he does not care to announce at this time.
- 4.
- As to the time of the departure of these two gentlemen for the
United States, Mr. Velasquez stated that he was ready to go any
time and would probably leave on Monday, June 5th, or Wednesday,
June 7th. However, Mr. de Castro stated that he had encountered
certain difficulties, a difference of opinion in his party and
pressure of legal business, and that he was not certain of the
exact date of his departure. Mr. de Castro further stated that
in order to strengthen his position in Washington, particularly
in the eyes of Dominicans, and to avoid criticism of his acts
and resulting dissension in his party, he considered it
advisable for the chief of his party, General H. Vasquez, to
accompany him to Washington, and that General Vasquez had
agreed, but also that the exact date of his departure could not
be stated.
- 5.
- Both of these Gentlemen are firm in their intention of
proceeding to the United States and effecting an agreement with
the United States Government, and even though their departure
may be delayed, it is believed that they will carry out their
intentions unless some unforseen events transpire. It may be
probable that, as Mr. Velasquez is [Page 25] now ready, he may proceed to the United
States and there await the later arrival of Mr. de Castro and
General Vasquez.
