837.00/4172
Memorandum of Telephone Conversation Between the Secretary of State and the Ambassador in Cuba (Welles)
Secretary: Hello, Mr. Ambassador, how is the situation now?
Ambassador: Mr. Secretary, I wanted to call you up a little earlier because I finally succeeded in getting hold of the Spanish Ambassador, and a meeting of the Diplomatic Corps has been called for four o’clock. We are going then as a body to propose, for humanitarian reasons, that a solution be found for a peaceful settlement between the officers and the soldiers.
Secretary: How many of the Diplomatic Corps?
Ambassador: Every member of the Corps.
Secretary: Have they all agreed?
Ambassador: Yes. They are all entirely in accord. It will simply be a formal way of doing what we have already agreed upon. In the meantime, conditions have been proposed to the officers which I think should be acceptable to them. The conditions are that if they will agree to come out unarmed, five at a time their lives will be guaranteed and they will be given all possible respect but will be held as prisoners until some definite decision is reached—as to what is to happen to them. Under the circumstances, that is the best that can be done.
Secretary: Were these conditions proposed by the civil government or by the army?
Ambassador: They were received just from the army.
Secretary: At the present time that is all that counts.
Ambassador: Yes. I think that what the Diplomatic Corps will have to do, and I want to speak to you specifically about this, is to support any agreement the officers may come to with the soldiers along those lines. Because if we do not take some action of that kind, there is so much agitation and so much ill feeling that it might [Page 465] be doubtful if those conditions would be carried out. I think we are perfectly justified, do you not, in taking that action?
Secretary: At first impression, that would seem to be the most feasible thing that would be open to you.
Ambassador: Of course, we won’t assume any individual responsibility on behalf of our governments, but as the Diplomatic Corps we can lend our moral support.
Secretary: The Diplomatic Corps would be acting as a unit?
Ambassador: As a unit, yes.
Secretary: At first blush, it would seem to me to be the feasible thing to do. I do not think there is anything else we can do. Caffery and Phillips are listening in and their first impression is the same.
Ambassador: It means that if we do that we may possibly prevent a massacre, and for purely humanitarian reasons I think we are justified in doing so. But I will send you a cable, Mr. Secretary, just as soon as the meeting of the Corps is over and I know what happens.
Secretary: What has happened to the Americans in those apartments in the vicinity of the hotel?
Ambassador: A truce was maintained and we got them all out. Automobile omnibuses were sent up there and the Americans were all banded up and are out of there.
Secretary: That is a mighty fine piece of work. Phillips and Caffery both said so before I had time to say it.
Ambassador: I am hopeful that now at any rate we can prevent a needless slaughter, and I will work along those lines.
Secretary: That proposed action by the entire Diplomatic Corps might lead to some help all along the line.
Ambassador: I am not sure about that, but this preliminary step I think will be very useful anyhow.
Secretary: It is very interesting to hear from you, and we are very well pleased with the way you are handling those matters.
Ambassador: Thank you very much. I appreciate it. I will send you a cable as soon as I have the facts to report.