File No. 837.00/1059
Minister Gonzales to the Secretary of State
Habana, February 1, 1917, midnight.
After a long talk with President yesterday in which I fully presented Department’s views and hopes, as expressed in the Department’s January 26, 4 p.m., spoke of the general apprehension of public disorder at elections and regretted that nothing had been said publicly by one in authority to reassure the people, he assured me the Government’s measures were being taken only to enforce order and insure safety to votes of both parties. Elections he declared would be held according to law and the liberals were agitating the country with contrary reports. As a probable result of this interview General Nunez, Vice Presidential candidate, has published long, full statement assuring public there need be no apprehension of lawlessness or misuse Government’s powers. This has had a good effect. Liberal party council is tonight considering asking the United States to supervise elections on the fourteenth.