224. Circular Telegram From the Department of State to All Posts0
1840. Castro in May 17 speech offered exchange for 500 bulldozers approximately 1200 prisoners captured during unsuccessful April 17 attempt by Cuban patriots liberate their country. Press reports today Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Milton Eisenhower, and Walter P. Reuther cabled Castro they would assume responsibility raise funds from private non-governmental sources purchase 500 agricultural tractors. They said their proposal not response to demand for political ransom but made out of common humanity.
U.S. Government not sponsoring and in no way connected with this effort prominent American citizens. However for humanitarian reasons we sympathize with this initiative.
In response inquiries Missions may draw upon foregoing but are urged exercise caution and at this stage avoid any expression regarding probable outcome these negotiations. FYI. Castro has laid down number of conditions for exchange which this private group may find difficult to accept or fulfill.1 End FYI.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 737.00/5-2061. Official Use Only; Priority. Drafted in ARA by Hurwitch. Cleared in ARA, P, by Achilles, and by Goodwin at the White House.↩
- These conditions were outlined in a
memorandum sent to Goodwin on May
20 by Department of State Executive Secretary Lucius D. Battle. Castro made the offer in a speech on
May 17, and expanded on the conditions attached to the offer in a speech
on May 19. Battle included
extracts from the two speeches in his memorandum to Goodwin, and he summarized the
conditions laid down by Castro as
follows:
- “1. Intermediaries such as the Red Cross are not necessary.
- “2. At the rate that bulldozer tractors are delivered prisoners will be delivered to start with ‘the least important to the more important… Let the tractors come on the ferry and the groups of invaders will go on the ferryʼ.
- “3. ‘The compensation must be made with all guarantees. And the equipment must be in perfect condition. They must have, for example, replacement parts, of course.ʼ
- “4. Manuel Artime (a member of the Revolutionary Council) is considered separately. He must be exchanged for Francisco Molina, a Cuban now facing trial in the United States for murder.” (Ibid.)