816.00 Revolutions/38
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (White)
The Salvadoran Minister called and showed me telegrams from the Provisional Government in El Salvador asking him to have recognition accorded it. The telegrams stated that President Araujo had resigned and that the Vice President had succeeded to the office in accordance with the Constitution. He also showed me telegrams from Guatemala from Señor Araujo saying that he had not resigned and that the revolutionary movement was really directed by Señor Martínez, who was both Vice President and Minister of War.…
The telegram from Señor Araujo referred to paragraph 4 of Article 68 of the Constitution saying that the attributes of the legislative body are to install in office the President and Vice President of the Republic, to administer to them the oath of office, and to take cognizance of their resignations and to accord them permission to leave the country. Señor Araujo therefore maintained that only the Congress could act on a resignation should he present one. The telegram from Salvador referred to paragraph 4 of Article 91 of the Constitution which states that the President is authorized to convoke extraordinary sessions of the legislative body as a Council of Ministers when the supreme interests of the nation demand it, and saying that the Vice President could do this if necessary.
I told the Minister that we were studying the situation most carefully in all its aspects and that I was not yet in a position to tell him what definite course we would take until we have further information regarding the happenings in San Salvador.