837.00/4408: Telegram
The Ambassador in Cuba (Welles) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received 8:09 p.m.]
462. There are already strong indications of an urgent desire on the part of the civilian element of the Grau government to come to terms with the opposition groups. Leaders of the organizations known as the A.B.C. Radical and the Ley y Justicia, which withdrew their support from the government 2 weeks ago but supported it when the revolt took place, have visited during the past 24 hours important leaders of the opposition to endeavor to secure their agreement to new compromise negotiations. In a public statement which Sergio Carbo himself issued a definite indication of this desire is given in view of his statement “It is obvious that the government cannot govern against the tide of public opinion.”
From accounts which reached me today the civilians in the government with the exception of Grau and Guiteras are exceedingly apprehensive for their own safety and even more apprehensive as the result of the dominating role which the Army is now taking.
The leaders of the Unión Nacionalista are willing to consider a compromise but none of the other opposition leaders will entertain that possibility at this moment. All of the leaders of the A.B.C. have either fled to the United States or are in hiding as is the case of the leaders of the O.C.R.R. Dr. Gómez remains in his house under the strictest surveillance. The Menocalistas are as firmly opposed to compromise as the A.B.C. leaders but with one exception—all of the important figures in the Menocal group are in the United States or in the provinces.