Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, The Western Hemisphere, Volume IX

711.372/1–1548

The Ambassador in Cuba (Norweb) to the Secretary of State

No. 35

Habana, January 15, 1948.

Sir: I have the honor to enclose an account² of a routine New Year’s conversation with President Grau,³ reviewing some of our more important outstanding questions. The principal result of our talk was to revive discussion on the proposed Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation and the unpaid private debts, together with an indication of acquiescence to the suggestion that Ambassador Belt⁴ take these matters up with Mr. Armour.⁵

For the convenience of the Department, the substance of the President’s remarks are given as follows:

He began with assurances of Cuban solidarity with the United States in the event of a world crisis, and stressed the need for a greater public realization in Cuba of the gravity of the world situation, which would be reflected in a more serious electoral campaign.⁶ He said he believed the Auténtico (his own) party would win, and added “I do not know personally who my successor will be.” He spoke with gratification of Cuba’s financial stability. The President then expressed a desire to make progress in some of the long-standing problems, particularly in view of his expiring tenure of office. He blamed the delay in settling American claims on the legislative bogging down of the Tribunal de Cuentas project; but said he would convey to Ambassador Belt my opinion that a Mixed Claims Commission could be set up. He spoke with a curious vagueness about why the proposed Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation had not been discussed with him when Ambassador Belt was last here, but made it plain that certain portions of the draft Treaty would be unacceptable to the Cubans. He agreed that it was time to lay all cards on the table. To my representations in the Portland Cement Company⁷ and Stowers⁸ cases, his reaction was apparently favorable, as it was also in regard to the project for a Maine Park and a new site for an Embassy Chancery. At the end of our conversation he reverted to what is evidently uppermost in his mind: the American elections and their effect on the Cuban. He attempted to get some indication from me of the public temper in the United States and presented his own views on the pros and cons of an administration headed by military elements.

Respectfully yours,

R. Henry Norweb

2. Not printed.
3. Ramón Grau San Martin, Cuban President, 1944–1948.
4. Guillermo Belt, Cuban Ambassador in the United States.
5. Norman Armour, Assistant Secretary of State for Political Affairs.
6. June 1 presidential election.
7. One of several companies (including Coca Cola Bottling Company, Pepsi Cola Company, and Habana Electric Railway Company) that had been subjected to intervention by the Cuban Government.
8. In despatch 255 of March 25, not printed, Ambassador Norweb reported that John L. Stowers had informed the Embassy that he had received 34,690.88 Cuban pesos, the proceeds of a Government check in payment of his long-standing claim for property expropriated by the Cuban Government; the Embassy did not feel that Stowers’ chances of obtaining a supplementary payment were good or that he would request the Embassy to intervene in the further prosecution of his claim (837.52/3–2548).