837.00/3623: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Cuba (Welles)
66. Your 133, 134, 136,33 137 and 138 were communicated to the President. At Ambassador Cintas’ request, the President received him this afternoon.
The President reminded the Ambassador that the eyes of the world are centered upon President Machado, not to see how he can extricate himself out of the present political difficulties, but to see whether he will act as a truly great man, who has the interests of his entire people at heart. He added that President Machado can go down in history as a great man, a great leader and a great patriot if he will take the step recommended by the representatives of all the Cuban political parties and so avoid what might easily develop into bloodshed and anarchy. [Page 348] The President appealed to President Machado, through Ambassador Cintas, to prove to the world his high purpose in this crisis.
The President informed Ambassador Cintas that you are and had been acting at Habana with his fullest authorization and approval. He added that he had no desire to intervene but that it was our duty to do what we could so that there should be no starvation and chaos among the Cuban people.
Ambassador Cintas then pointed out the difficulties surrounding President Machado’s position and that he could not allow himself to be forced out of the presidency. The Ambassador agreed that, if means could be found by which President Machado could act as of his own initiative, there was still hope that he could be persuaded to do so. He agreed that a face-saving device was necessary. The President suggested that the economic situation should be utilized for this purpose rather than the political crisis, that if President Machado could step out in order to save the Cuban people from starvation, he would not only be saving his “face”, but would be performing a noble act. The President suggested that, in this event, a shipload of food supplies could be sent from this country to Habana for the benefit of the Cuban people.
Ambassador Cintas promised to call up President Machado on the telephone as soon as he had reached New York, would report his conversation and would thereupon call up the Secretary of State or the Under Secretary and give us the reaction of President Machado.
At the conclusion of the interview the President gave out the following statement:
“The President and Ambassador Cintas discussed the Cuban situation, especially in its economic aspects. They feel that the problems of starvation and of depression are of such immediate importance that every political problem should be met in the most patriotic spirit, in order to improve conditions at the earliest possible moment. The Ambassador is communicating with his Government.”
Inasmuch as Ambassador Cintas has expressed the hope that President Machado may be willing to make some counterproposal tomorrow or the next day, we think it would be desirable for you not to press him further at the moment.
- No. 136 not printed.↩