839.00/2755: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in the Dominican Republic (Russell)
51. Your 62, October 19, 12 noon,9 and 63, October 20, 12 noon.
In view of the fact that Department’s instructions were not received by you until after impeachment proceedings were commenced against two of the non-political members of the Central Electoral Board, the Department considers that it is now too late for the suggested conference between the President and the members of the Central Electoral Board to be of any avail. It is, of course, impossible for the two members of the Central Electoral Board against whom charges have been preferred to concur in any official action which the Central Electoral Board may take until these charges have been officially passed upon. The Department views the cessation in the activities of the Central Electoral Board with the gravest concern. While it is realized that the manifold duties of the Minister of the Interior make his acceptance of the position of substitute for Dr. Vicioso upon the Central Electoral Board difficult, it desires you to urge upon him the imperative necessity of his acceptance of these additional duties, in view of the fact that the University of Santo Domingo finds it impossible to elect any other substitute from among the members of the Faculty satisfactory to both parties. The Electoral Law was framed in such a manner as to make it possible for the Electoral Boards to continue functioning in the event that charges were preferred against any of their members by the prior designation of substitutes and it is of the utmost importance that the electoral machinery should not break down at this crucial period. The Department desires you to exert your utmost influence to effect a speedy resumption of its duties by the Central Electoral Board.
You are instructed to express the Department’s appreciation of the President’s offer and to advise him of the Department’s belief, as expressed above, that it is now too late for his intervention in this particular incident to be of service. You should likewise make it [Page 911] plain that the Government of the United States does not feel warranted in making any formal suggestions as to a solution of this difficulty in view of the stipulations contained in Article 1 of the Plan of Evacuation.
- Not printed.↩