810.00/9–249
Memorandum by the Assistant Chief of the Division of Special Inter-American Affairs ( Monsma ) to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for American Republic Affairs ( Barber )
confidential
. . . . . . .
Peace Committee Consideration of Caribbean Situation
The Inter-American Peace Committee has held four meetings on the Caribbean situation (August 18, 26, 29 and September 2). To a very large extent the meetings have been taken up with discussion of procedural details relating to the competence of the Committee, the method for dealing with the replies to its request of August 4 for information and suggestions, and the question of whether the meetings should be open or closed. The only replies of any substance are those from the U.S., the Dominican Republic and Cuba, that of Cuba being composed mostly of abstractions.
On August 29 Juan Garcia Rodriguez, one of the leaders of the Caribbean Legion, sent a telegram from Habana to Chairman Quintanilla, offering to appear before the Committee. The meeting of September 2 was largely devoted to discussion of whether this telegram should be replied to, acknowledged, or ignored. Mr. Daniels took the view, on a number of grounds, that the telegram should not be officially acknowledged or replied to, but indicated that it would be interesting if the government of Cuba could forward to the Peace Committee any information it might obtain from Rodriguez. It was finally agreed that a simple acknowledgment would be sent by the Secretary of the Committee. After it became clear that the U.S. memorandum of August 18 had gotten into the hands of the press, Amb. Daniels inquired if the Committee would care to release the memorandum to the press. The Committee expressed the view that this would be desirable—with no dissent—and so it was agreed; and after the meeting the memorandum was handed by the Secretary of the Committee to the press representatives who were present (AP and UP).1
At the meeting of September 2, the Committee also agreed to have an informal meeting on September 5, at the home of Ambassador Accioly,2 with Amb. Gonzalez Arévalo, who has recently been designated Foreign Minister of Guatemala.
. . . . . . .