839.51/4010
The Minister in the Dominican Republic (Schoenfeld) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received November 27.]
Sir: Referring to my despatch No. 1268 of November 7,48 I have the honor to report that President Trujillo left Santo Domingo on November 22 to return to the official residence of the Executive at Santiago de los Caballeros. As reported in my despatch No. 1290 of November 14,48 the Dominican Congress by appropriate legislation extended the recent session at Santiago, which was to expire on November 13, for thirty days after that date. I understand from Sr. Vega, Acting Secretary of Finance, that the principal remaining legislation to be taken up at this session by the Congress with the President’s cooperation will be the formulation of the Government’s budget for 1934.
The recent enactment by the Dominican Congress of a bill introduced at the instance of President Trujillo for extending the Emergency Law of October 23, 1931, for as long as may be necessary after December 31 next, pending the conclusion of the negotiations for re-adjustment of the Dominican external debt which are now understood to be in progress in the United States, has been regarded by the Government as a necessary preliminary to the definitive formulation of the budget for 1934.
It is understood that the President, prior to his departure for Santiago as above reported, expressed gratification at the absence of any comment by the American Government with regard to the extension of the Emergency Law. In fact, the President is reported to have been “elated”. Elation on the President’s part would be natural, inasmuch as members of the Government as long ago as September last indicated to me that until the Emergency Law should be extended, it would be impracticable to formulate the budget for the ensuing fiscal year. It was said that the Government must be able to count on the funds now received through the operation of that law or upon increased funds from further diversion of the customs revenue, to carry out the administrative program which the President has had in mind for next year.
Should it be the Department’s intention to make any observations as to the recent extension of the Emergency Law, it is respectfully suggested that it would perhaps be fairer to the Dominican Government [Page 667] to make such observations prior to the forthcoming enactment of the budget law for 1934 than to defer making such observations until a later time.
Respectfully yours,