837.51 Public Works Debt/231

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Welles)

The Cuban Ambassador came to see me this morning at his request.

The Ambassador first told me that Senator Casanova had now returned to Habana and had told him on the telephone that there [Page 529] was no question whatever that the Government could obtain a satisfactory majority in both Houses for the passage of the legislation which will provide for the resumption of payment on the Warren Brothers obligations. Senator Casanova had said, however, that in view of the registration period now going on under the electoral law, it would be impossible to obtain a quorum until July 5 since the great majority of the senators and deputies were in their own provinces rounding up political adherents for their respective parties. Senator Casanova had told the Ambassador that he had talked with President Laredo and that they had both agreed that an effort would be made on July 5 to introduce this legislation and obtain its immediate passage, and that probably they would attempt to obtain passage at the same time of legislation authorizing issuance of new silver certificates. In the meantime, the Ambassador said, the Cuban Secretary of the Treasury had requested Mr. Brownson who was apparently acting as local representative of Warren Brothers to exchange communications in which Mr. Brownson as the duly authorized representative of Warren Brothers would express complete satisfaction with the new form in which Warren Brothers’ obligations would be recognized by the Cuban Government.

S[umner] W[elles]