File No. 837.00/1116
[Untitled]
Habana, February 20, 1917—11 p.m.
I sent your February 18, 7 p.m., in cipher to Consul at Santiago and open through Santiago to Consular Agents Guantanamo and Antilla. Open messages stopped by insurgent censor Santiago cable office. Endeavoring to convey purport of message to Consuls by wireless.
Insurgent leader Santiago probably told tenor of message by censor, for last night he cabled me lengthy statement of conciliatory nature. While claiming great military strength and daily conquest of new towns in Oriente Province, he asserts life and property are being protected and charges Government forces with destruction railway bridges. Last week he cabled me threat to execute prisoners if the President shot any soldiers. I warned him against barbarism and in cable he says:
“I shall ingenuously confess to you that my threat of reprisals was a simulated act of barbarism.”