838.00/2810: Telegram
The High Commissioner in Haiti (Russell) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:33 p.m.]
84. At the request of the President-elect, Eugène Roy, I called on him yesterday. He stated that he desired to know the attitude of the United States on certain matters relative to Haitian affairs. Specifically he stated that he was being urged to dissolve the Council of State as soon as he took office and to legislate by decrees. I replied that article D of the treaty provisions of the Constitution vested the legislative in the Council of State until the constitution of the legislative body at which time the Council of State would cease to exist. He replied that he was glad to hear me make such a statement as he had not wanted to take the action urged upon him.
Mr. Roy then said that on May 15 he would [have?] to take an oath to uphold the Constitution and there was a question in his mind as to whether he could take such an oath and then call legislative elections before 1931. I replied to him along the lines indicated in the Department’s telegram number 3 to the President’s Commission, March 14th. Mr. Roy expressed satisfaction at the attitude of the United States Government and said that he will consider further before deciding upon a date for the elections.