839.00/2569: Telegram
The Commissioner in the Dominican Republic (Welles) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 19—3:50 a.m.]
10. I had yesterday a conversation with Jacinto de Castro one of the most prominent lawyers of the Republic who has been conferring with the comparatively small but influential group of reputable Dominicans not in active politics who oppose the Department’s program because of their belief that ratification of the proposed convention might imply recognition by the Dominican Republic of the right of the United States to intervene whenever it saw fit in the internal affairs of the Republic.
With my approval Señor de Castro read to the members of this group the text of the draft convention and he advises me that all of these Dominicans will come out in favor of the plan and campaign for it if the third sentence of article 1 of the draft convention were to be replaced by the following: “The Dominican Government likewise agrees that these Executive orders, administrative regulations and contracts shall remain in full force and effect unless and until they are lawfully abrogated”.
It appears to me that the proposed omission of the phrase “as having been laws of the Republic from the date of their publication” occurring in present draft would not impair in any way the strength of the guarantees which we require since the validity of the specified executive orders etc., is definitely recognized in the first sentence of article 1.
As I believe the appropriate time will arrive in the very near future to publish the plan officially I should be glad to receive your authorization to make this additional modification which of course meets with the approval of the members of the Commission.
To insure so far as may be possible the successful outcome of the plan with a promise of future stability in the Republic I beg to submit [that] it is highly desirable to obtain the support of so many of the able and influential men in the country as may be possible for our program. For the first time in the history of the Republic all the actual leaders of political parties are working in close cooperation and it has been my constant effort to obtain the support and assistance, as well, of all the independents of reputation and ability whose future opposition might prove dangerous to the provision. It is for this reason that I have recommended modifications which may appear trivial but which for sentimental reasons will be regarded as of great importance in this country.