837.00/3570: Telegram
The Ambassador in Cuba (Welles) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received 6:20 p.m.]
106. My telegram No. 103, July 1, 1 p.m. Negotiations between the Government and the opposition delegates have until now progressed very favorably. All measures providing personal guarantees for the members of the opposition parties which have accepted mediation as requested by them have been granted by the Government and will be made public this afternoon.
After considerable difficulty I succeeded in convincing the President of the necessity of raising martial law and of the reestablishment of constitutional guarantees in the province of Habana, the only province of the Republic in which martial law exists at the present time. The President through his representatives has informed me this morning that he will reestablish constitutional guarantees here as soon as a law governing the press which has been drafted has been passed by the Congress and as soon as a special law vesting exclusive jurisdiction in the Supreme Court of the Republic of all cases covering the illegal use of explosives has been passed. I am in accord with the President that before a return to normal constitutional procedure in the province of Habana can be effected the authorities of the Government should be provided with the security entailed in these laws. The President assures me that these two laws will be passed before July 15th. The reaction to the reestablishment of constitutional guarantees will, of course, be overwhelmingly favorable.
Negotiations are now in progress whereby all of the small remaining groups of revolutionary outlaws in the interior of the Republic can give themselves up to the authorities under full guarantee of liberty and personal safety. I believe that all of these remaining groups will return to their own homes within the coming week.
I have this morning been informed by General Herrera that 45 political prisoners will be released before the middle of next week. In general, the conciliatory disposition shown by the Government in the negotiations has caused a very speedy return to more normal conditions.
The declaration opposing the mediation proceedings made public by General Menocal in Miami yesterday and republished here has created very little impression. Menocal has been consistently losing prestige during the past 3 weeks and even the closest members of his family here in Cuba are openly supporting the mediation proceedings. Practically all of his political followers of importance have joined the opposition [Page 319] wing of the conservatives in supporting the mediation proceedings and are represented in the proceedings’ through their delegate, Dr. Albanes.
Early next week the opposition delegation will present to me a draft project of constitutional reform for transmission to the President’s representatives. In the study which these latter will make of the opposition’s proposals they will be assisted by a parliamentary commission which the President will appoint tomorrow consisting of three members of each House.