837.00/3566: Telegram
The Ambassador in Cuba (Welles) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received 11:02 p.m.]
101. The President has appointed today as his personal representatives in the mediation proceedings General Herrera, Acting Secretary of State, Dr. Averhoff, Secretary of the Treasury, and Dr. Ruiz Mesa, former Secretary of Justice and now a member of the House of Representatives.
The opposition factions which have accepted my tender of good; offices have today appointed the following delegates: Dr. Cosme de la Torriente for the Unión Nacionalista; Dr. Martínez Saenz for the A B C; Dr. Wilfredo Albanes, representative from Oriente for the Conservative opposition party; Dr. Santos Jiménez for the Liberal opposition party headed by Dr. Miguel Mariano Gómez; Dr. Dorta Duque for the University; Dr. Aragon for the professors of the normal and high schools; Dr. Silverio for the O C R R; and Señorita Lamar for all of the women’s organizations.
I shall formally commence mediation proceedings tomorrow morning, receiving first the delegates of President Machado and subsequently in a separate interview the delegates of the opposition. I shall read to each group the message from the President and make a brief statement myself outlining the nature of my own participation in the negotiations.
I had this morning an interview with President Machado in which I explained to him the manner in which I intended to conduct the mediation proceedings. He gave me again very clearly to understand that he would be willing to leave the government in the hands of a vice-president throughout the electoral period but that if he were to maintain his present control of affairs such determination by him must not now be publicly announced nor must it be made the subject of any condition to be imposed by the opposition. I stated to him that I was in full accord and that such action on his part must be understood when the time came as coming freely as of his own initiative.