811.4061 March of Time/15
The Dominican Minister (Pastoriza) to the Secretary of State
Mr. Secretary of State: I take the liberty of bringing to your knowledge [the fact]62 that a film of “The March of Time” has begun to be shown today at numerous theaters in this country which is devoted exclusively to attacking the personality of President Trujillo Molina [Page 479] in a disrespectful and unjust manner and to giving a completely false impression of the Dominican nation and the political situation prevailing therein.
In order that the Department of State may understand the disintegrating and unsound purpose which guided the authors of that film, I am giving below a copy of the synopsis of it which “The March of Time” made public for the purpose of advertising its presentation within a short time.
“An American Dictator
“Oldest city in the New World is Santo Domingo, 900 miles south of Miami. Here Columbus lies buried. Today, after four centuries, it has a new name. It is the City of Trujillo, headquarters of the man who since 1930 has been running the Dominican Republic, as President but with full powers of a dictator—Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. Dictator Trujillo owes his rise, after a youthful jail term, to the U. S. Marines, for during their eight-year occupation of the island he rendered valuable service as an informer. When they sailed away he became through hard work and sly intrigue the army’s commander, later the country’s President. Wise Dominicans, including Liberal Angel Morales, fled, many to New York; but even there they were not safe. One day, former Dominican Secretary of War, Sergio Bencosme, mistaken for Morales, was found mysteriously slain. Meanwhile, in Trujillo City, new names are given to ancient bridges, avenues and cafes, and a servile congress even nominates its man of the hour for the Nobel Peace Prize. Over the Vice President’s home a new sign blinks cheerfully, ‘God and Trujillo’. But to exile Morales has come a secret report that all is not well with Trujillo; that a kinsman is wanted by the U. S. State Department for the Bencosme murder; that money is short: that in the harbor the President’s yacht lies with steam up. March 01 Time points to these things, sure signs of tension, perhaps sudden collapse in the tightest little tyranny in the Caribbean”.
This Legation, reserving the right to take the proper action under the protection of the ordinary courts, wishes to express to the Department of State again its most profound displeasure over the improper manner in which certain American journalists, in a strange alliance with Dominican revolutionaries residing here, are devoting themselves to the task of defaming with impunity a friendly ruler and a country which has always striven to maintain relations of sincere cordiality with the United States and to perform, despite business depressions and unjustified hostilities, the duties of friendship imposed by the actualities of geographic vicinity and the spirit of true internationalism.
I am convinced that that disruptive campaign by certain sensational newspapers is working powerfully against the brilliant Pan American ideals enunciated in the “good neighbor policy” proclaimed by President Roosevelt, and it is in view of that conviction I have decided to put on record this new protest.
[Page 480]I understand that the Dominican Legation has not been the only one to make similar statement to the Department of State, due to the unjust attacks of “The March of Time” or the yellow newspapers, and that this circumstance shows that the evil which is denounced is assuming proportions which hardly fall within the most elastic idea of tolerance, particularly in the case of malicious criticisms directed at matters that concern other nations exclusively.
It is the wish of this Legation that the Department of State, basing itself so much on your cordial formulas and spirit of conciliation, can find a way to keep the attacks from being repeated which are being made systematically and in a community of petty interests against President Trujillo and the Dominican people by certain American journalists and Dominican revolutionaries who are living [here],63 manifestly violating the well-known hospitality afforded them in this country.
I avail myself [etc.]