817.00 Johnson Electoral Mission/81
The Minister in Nicaragua (Hanna) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 8.]
Sir: I have the honor to report for the Department’s records that Captain Alfred Wilkinson Johnson, United States Navy, selected by the President of the United States as his personal representative with the rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to cooperate with the Government of Nicaragua in the supervision of Congressional elections to be held in November, 1930, arrived in Managua on July 1, 1930. Captain Johnson took his oath of office as Chairman of the National Board of Elections before the members of the Supreme Court of Nicaragua on July 3, 1930. The other members of the Board are Dr. Ramón Castillo, representing the Conservative Party, and Dr. Mariano Arguello Vargas, representing the Liberal Party.
Prior to the arrival of Captain Johnson the Department had forwarded to the Legation the proposed amendments to the Electoral Law of 1923 which were deemed necessary to legalize and facilitate the present supervision, and the Legation had submitted the amendments for the consideration of the Nicaraguan Government. Certain minor changes were made in the amendments in conferences with representatives of the Nicaraguan Government, and the amendments as finally agreed upon were published in La Gaceta, No. 164 of July 23 [28], 1930, copies of which are transmitted herewith.12 There are also enclosed for the Department’s convenient reference copies and translations of the changes made here to the Department’s proposed amendments compiled by the Legation.12a
The amended electoral law is in the hands of the printer and will be ready for circulation shortly. Copies of the law will be promptly transmitted to the Department when available.13 Captain Johnson has been well received by all parties and classes and it is worthy of note that no opposition to his mission has so far been manifested. [Page 652] Both parties appear to be sincerely committed to supervision and to regard it as Nicaragua’s principal hope in its endeavor to develop orderly and representative government.
The Legation is informed that the machinery for the electoral supervision is steadily being perfected and that some of the officers and men designated to serve at outlying places have already left Managua for their posts. Under the amended law registrations will be held on September 21, 24 and 28, and the elections on November 2, the first Sunday in November.
Respectfully yours,
- Not reprinted.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Transmitted to the Department with unnumbered despatch of August 25, 1930, not printed (817.0131/17); see Electoral Law of Nicaragua as modified by the Executive Decree of 26 July, 1930, in Spanish and English (Tipografía Alemana de Carlos Heuberger & Co., Managua, Nicaragua.)↩