817.00/7671
The Minister in Nicaragua ( Hanna ) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 27.]
Sir: With reference to my telegram No. 217 of November 22, 2 p.m., and previous correspondence concerning the pre-election agreement between the two political parties in Nicaragua to cooperate in the pacification of the Segovias, I have the honor to report that the representatives of the Liberal and Conservative parties, Dr. Crisanto Sacasa and Dr. Davíd Stadthagen, have been cooperating with President-elect Sacasa in an endeavor to initiate negotiations by which Sandino would agree to lay down his arms.
The President-elect has told me that he is endeavoring, through several persons known to have or to have had relations with Sandino, to get in touch with the latter. Dr. Sacasa says he will first endeavor to ascertain whether or not Sandino is in a mood to negotiate on a reasonable basis. His desire is to offer Sandino terms, so obviously fair that if Sandino refuses he will be clearly stamped as a bandit and an enemy of Nicaragua.
Dr. Sacasa considers that the present revolution in Honduras47 is probably delaying the progress of whatever negotiations the persons with whom he is in communication may be conducting with Sandino. In fact, Dr. Sacasa informed me confidentially that he feared no progress would be made, that Sandino would not negotiate on a fair basis and that the Nicaraguan Government would probably have to continue to oppose him by force of arms.
Respectfully yours,