817.00 Woodward Electoral Mission/62
The Chargé in Nicaragua ( Beaulac ) to the Assistant Secretary of State ( White )
[Received May 5.]
Dear Francis : I have received your letter of March 30, regarding Mr. Hanna’s plan for electoral supervision with reduced personnel. My concurrence in the estimate of the military on the ground here that a minimum of 1800 men would be needed to protect the Electoral Mission was based on the assumption that the supervision would be on the line of that conducted in 1928, and indeed Colonel Price’s plan contemplated that it would be. I do not see how that kind of [Page 798] supervision would have been possible without large numbers of protective personnel.
Mr. Hanna’s plan, however, makes it possible for us not only to forego sending a large number of electoral guards but to reduce the number of American electoral personnel. The plan seems entirely practical and even superior to the original plan, for the reasons outlined by Mr. Hanna. Admiral Woodward may be a little disappointed at first, but I am sure that when he thinks it over he will see the advantages of the plan and will be enthusiastic over it. The question of expense is already being raised here by persons who would be glad if there were no supervision. Mr. Hanna’s plan largely destroys that objection.
Sincerely yours,