839.00/3049
The Minister in the Dominican Republic (Young) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 20.]
Sir: Adverting to my telegrams No. 32 and 33, of April 8, 1927,4 I have the honor to submit the following report with respect to the present status of the prolongation of the presidential period.
As has previously been reported to the Department it was the original intention of those leaders of the President’s party who favor its prolongation that the extension affect only the terms of office of the President and Senators. Upon further study of the question it was found however that such action would still render necessary the election in 1928 of a Vice-President and the Deputies. The terms of office of these officials would, of course, be limited to four years, and thus the country would be compelled to hold general elections for the President and Senators in 1930 and for the Vice-President and Deputies in 1928, 1932, etc.
The new program, to which the President has not yet definitely committed himself, is as follows: (a) The enactment by the Congress of a resolution expressing its understanding that the President and Senators were actually elected under the Constitution of 1908, and therefore hold office for a period of six years, (b) That a National (Constituent) Assembly be elected on the 28th day following the adoption of the resolution, (c) That the National Assembly meet in the city of Santo Domingo on the 10th day following the election of the members thereof, (d) That the National Assembly accept or reject the following suggested reform and modification of the Constitution: “In order that the elections for elective offices may be held [Page 549] on the same day and at one general election the period of office of the present incumbents in the offices of Vice-President of the Republic, members of the Chamber of Deputies, the Governors of Provinces, Regidores and Sindicos, shall be prolonged until August 16, 1930.”
Reliable information in possession of the Legation is to the effect that in the opinion of those who are backing the six year term for the President, the new program is likely to meet with less resistance on the part of the opposition—at least insofar as the Progresista members of Congress are concerned.
The Legation, in accordance with the Department’s telegraphic instruction of April 2, 1927, is carefully and scrupulously refraining from taking any action with respect to the matter which could be in any way interpreted as an interference on our part with regard to the settlement of this important question. I have taken occasion, however, to express to President Vasquez my own views regarding the possible serious consequences which might ensue as the result either of the prolongation of his term or the selection as his successor of any one who did not command the confidence of the majority of the public.
In conversation with me yesterday the President stated that he had not yet committed himself to the prolongation of his term, and that he wanted to be able to feel when he left office that he had given the country a good administration, and that he had at all times played fair with the people. He seemed to feel very confident that no disturbance to the peace of the country would follow the adoption and carrying out of the new program, but he seemed to be considerably concerned with regard to the “morals” or “ethics” of the question.
On the morning of the 8th I had a long conversation, entirely informal and personal, with the Vice-President regarding the matter. As I reported to the Department in my telegram No. 33, of April 8, 1927, the Vice-President expressed very strong opposition to the new program and said that it would unquestionably result in a revolution. He added that unless the Government of the United States took such action as it might find necessary to force the abandonment of the proposal, he would proceed to Washington and make a personal appeal to the Department. I discreetly discouraged him in this intention and stated that the Department was kept fully informed at all times of the political situation here and of all developments, and I added very frankly, though in a friendly manner, that I felt very certain that no useful purpose could be achieved through a visit on his part to Washington. Mr. Valesquez [Velasquez] then inquired whether in my opinion the United States would be likely to intervene to the extent necessary to prevent the prolongation. I said in reply that as he was well aware it was the policy of our Government not to intervene in political matters unless such action was made mandatory upon the Government [Page 550] by local conditions in order to accord protection to American lives and property. The Vice-President then inquired if he might send me unofficially and informally a memorandum setting forth his point of view in regard to the proposed prolongation, to which I said that I should be very glad to receive it, provided it was understood that the memorandum possessed no official character and was sent to me purely for my personal information. The memorandum has been received and a translation thereof is enclosed herewith.5
On the morning of the 9th inst. I had a lengthy and confidential conversation with Mr. Francisco Peynado. After a careful analysis of the legal points involved in the new program, I elicited from Mr. Peynado a frank expression of his views. In common with many other Dominicans of the better class, men who are conversant with all phases of the political situation but who are not actively participating in politics at the present time, he regrets that the President is considering accepting a prolongation of his term of office. He feels that General Vasquez has given the country an especially good administration and that should he leave office at the end of the four year period, in the meantime continuing his efficient administration of the country, he would be entitled to go down in history as one of the really great Presidents of the Dominican Republic and as one of the outstanding figures of his day in Latin America. He expressed the hope that our Government would not intervene with respect to the adjustment of the pending question, leaving the Dominican people free to settle it themselves. Mr. Peynado stated that he both hoped and believed that no disturbance to the peace of the country would result should the proposed program become effective. The greatest danger, he thought, lay in the possibility of the death of President Vasquez, either natural or by violent means, while in office, and added that should this occur, it would probably be followed by the assassination of the Vice-President. As to the choice between General Vasquez as President for six years, or for four years and followed by Alfonseca, he said that he greatly preferred the former. Mr. Peynado gave me clearly the impression that while from the moral standpoint he would be sorry to see the President accept any prolongation of his term, he nevertheless felt that such a course of action would be preferable to the election in 1928 of Alfonseca, who neither enjoyed the confidence of the country nor possessed the ability successfully to control his own political party. Mr. Peynado expressed his very high appreciation, “as a patriotic Dominican”, of the attitude of the United States towards Dominican matters since the withdrawal of the forces of occupation and commented somewhat at length and favorably upon the efforts and the evident desire of the Legation to [Page 551] be of assistance to the Government and the Dominican people while at the same time carefully refraining from intervening in domestic questions.
Last evening the Legation received information to the effect that the resolution now pending in the Dominican Congress would be so changed as to make it impossible for the President to be eligible for reelection after completion of the six year term. One objection raised to the new program by the Opposition has been that the Constitution of 1908 did not prohibit the reelection of the President of the Republic, and that accordingly if the term of office of President Vasquez is prolonged under the contention that he was elected under the 1908 Constitution, there would be nothing to prevent his being a candidate in the 1930 election. The proposed amendment to the pending resolution is designed to remove this objection.
The foregoing report has been drafted somewhat hastily in order to permit of its being forwarded by the pouch today. The Legation will continue to maintain close touch with the situation, and the Department will be kept fully informed of all developments.
I have [etc.]