839.00/2600: Telegram
The Commissioner in the Dominican Republic (Welles) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received 5:45 p.m.]
20. Article 4 of the proposed convention contained in the plan provides that the convention will take effect after its approval by the United States Senate and by the Dominican Congress. This article has given rise to the suspicion here in some quarters that even if the Dominican Congress and President ratify the convention, should the United States Senate then fail to approve it, the Department would necessarily be forced to abandon the policy of evacuation and the terms of the plan would consequently not be complied with by the United States Government.
I should be glad to have the Department confirm by cable my understanding that its policy of evacuation will not be changed provided the Provisional Government and the Dominican people carry out their obligations as set forth in the present plan; and that since the plan provides for the passage by the Dominican Congress of a law ratifying the acts of the Military Government, in addition to the negotiation of the convention above referred to, and signify [Page 59] that since the withdrawal of the American forces is a matter to be determined by the President of the United States alone, the present policy of the United States Executive will remain unchanged, even in the improbable event that the United States Senate refused to ratify the proposed convention.