817.1051/618
The Nicaraguan Chargé (Debayle) to the Secretary of State
Excellency: Both in my official capacity as Chargé d’Affaires and privately as a citizen of Nicaragua, I have been interested in statements appearing recently in the Press regarding the attitude of President Moncada towards the National Guard. To clarify this point, I have the honor to transcribe a cable message just received from the President, which, for the convenience of Your Excellency, I have had translated into English as follows:
“Managua, March 15, 1932. The National Guard is giving palpable proof of its efficiency and splendid discipline. Peace has been maintained thanks to the excellent work of the Guardia. The movements of the Sandinistas have been always kept within bounds and their activities have been confined to the less populated regions. As President and as citizen I wish to urge that the Guardia, under the direction of the Marines, be permitted to conclude its mission, but more time for training is needed. It would be most unfortunate if the plan which inspired Secretary Stimson and myself to hope for a new era of peace in Nicaragua, with no more civil wars, should be abandoned at this time. I should like you to express my opinion on this point to Secretary Stimson. (signed) President . . . . .”
With reference to the statement published by the Associated Press on Monday, and attributed to President Moncada, regarding the constitutionality of the Bryan-Chamorro Treaty,50 I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that President Moncada declares in a cable just received, that he has been misquoted and that his opinions are [Page 853] the exact opposite of those published. In this connection I take pleasure in quoting a translation of a paragraph on page 7 of the statement issued by the President on March 10th of this year, on the Reforms to the Constitution. He says:
“The Bryan-Chamorro Treaty cannot now be submitted to new decisions, either of Constituent Assemblies, National Congresses, courts of arbitration nor to the League of Nations. It is obligatory to the Nicaraguans and to the United States.”
Accept [etc.]
- Signed at Washington August 5, 1914, ibid., 1916, p. 849.↩