810.20 Defense/359: Telegram
The Minister in Uruguay (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:45 p.m.]
269. My 267, November 22, 11 a.m. I saw Guani at noon. He said that he had spoken deliberately and with the approval of the President in attacking the attitude of the Nationalists and the obstruction of the Senate. He said that his attack had been taken by the Senate as a warning that the President might dissolve the legislature, and that this accounted for the fact that the Colorado Senators, who want to hold their jobs, voted with the Nationalists.
He said that this morning some of the Nationalist leaders had come to him to propose a solution, but that he had refused to discuss the matter telling them to go to the President.
Guani said that he did not know how the situation would develop. The President returns from the country tonight and the decision will be up to him. He said that there was still a possibility that some compromise might be found and the whole matter blow over. On the other hand, the situation might become extremely serious and the Government find it necessary to take energetic measures.
He said that he regretted having made use of the memorandum of June 19 without having obtained my prior consent, but that it had seemed important to make “general use” of it as the debate developed.
I can see no easy solution to the present political situation. On the one hand, the Foreign Minister and the Senate have openly declared war on each other and it is difficult to see how they can reestablish any basis for future collaboration. On the other hand, if the President should throw Guani over, this would be a triumph for the Nationalists and strengthen vastly their position.
There are people who believe that the President is prepared to take strong measures, dissolving the legislature and proceeding thereafter as the necessities of the situation may indicate.