permanent organization of the school or the drafting of permanent regulations for its conduct until the arrival of the civilian instructors. The Department will endeavor in the very near future to submit to the Nicaraguan Government the name of a well-qualified American with constabulary experience, who might be employed as chief instructor and who might be consulted regarding the appointment of his subordinates. Meanwhile, you may suggest that the Nicaraguan Legation at Washington be authorized to discuss with the person nominated all details regarding salary and terms of employment, which of course must be arranged by direct agreement. The Department understands that the Navy can most conveniently withdraw the Legation Guard during the first part of August and it is therefore informing the Secretary of the Navy that there is no objection to the withdrawal of the Guard at that time. It appears that it would be very difficult to arrange transportation facilities earlier. The Department is asking the Navy to regard the plan for withdrawal as confidential until you consider it advisable to make a public announcement. KELLOGG 817.1051/74 Memorandum by the Secretary of State of a Conversation With the Nicaraguan Chargé (Tigerino), May 28, 1925 The Chargé stated that Nicaragua had passed the law for the establishment of a constabulary and asked us to give them the names of American officers who would act as instructors. I informed him that we had asked the Navy Department to give us the names of their officers. 817.1051/81: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Nicaragua (Thurston) WASHINGTON, June 16, 1925—2 p. m. 70. Major Carter 10 advises Department that he signed one year contract with Nicaraguan Chargé d'Affaires on June 10th. He will be "Chief of the Constabulary and of the School of Instruction of the National Guard created by the legislative decree of May 14 of the present year" and will prepare regulations for the school and for the constabulary in accord with the Nicaraguan Government. He states that he expects to sail for Nicaragua in about a week. The contract provides for the employment of four additional Ameri can officers as assistants. Further information is being sent to you by mail. While all arrangements have been made directly between Carter and the Nicaraguan Legation without intervention by the Department, and while the Department feels that it may contribute to the success of the new constabulary if it is regarded as a purely Nicaraguan institution and the officials are regarded from the outset as Nicaraguan employees having no connection with the United States Government, it desires that you should extend every proper assistance to Major Carter in the performance of his duties, and that you should keep the Department very fully informed regarding the progress of his work. KELLOGG 817.1051/82: Telegram The Chargé in Nicaragua (Thurston) to the Secretary of State MANAGUA, July 3, 1925—10 a. m. 113. Legation's 99, June 2, 4 p. m." The person designated by the Minister of Gobernacion to prepare the rules and regulations of the National Guard and to confer thereon with the Legation guard is General Carreles, who during the constabulary negotiations published numerous articles over his signature in the newspapers attacking the plan and especially American participation and in which he consistently referred to us as Yankees in a disparaging manner. This representative made only two requests which were immediately granted by the delivery to him on June 10th and 13th of two plans relating to the recruiting and classification of personnel. No further requests for assistance were made and no intimation was given that the services of the marines as provisional instructors were anything but unwelcome. On June 3rd orders were received by the Legation guard to prepare for withdrawal on August 3rd. On June 30 Major Carter arrived at Bluefields and on July 1st one of his assistants arrived at Corinto. With matters in this situation the Minister for Foreign Affairs called yesterday afternoon and informed me that his Government now possesses funds for the organization of the National Guard and requests that the marines undertake the organization and training of the recruits already in Managua. I replied that with Major Carter and one assistant already in Nicaragua I had not anticipated that "Not printed. the services of the marines would now be requested and that while the Legation is very much occupied with the difficult task of preparing for early departure I would consult Major Keyser and the Department. Major Keyser and I strongly feel that at this late hour the marines should not be made responsible for the organization of the National Guard. I venture respectfully to recommend that I be instructed to inform the Government that inasmuch as the chief instructor and one assistant instructor of the National Guard are now in Nicaragua and should be in Managua within a day or two and inasmuch as the Legation guard is actively engaged in preparations for departure within a very few weeks it is not deemed necessary and is furthermore impracticable for the Legation to undertake the organization of the Nicaraguan National Guard. THURSTON 817.1051/82: Telegram The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Nicaragua (Thurston) WASHINGTON, July 7, 1925-2 p. m. 78. Your 113, July 3, 10 a. m. The Department approves of your advising the Minister of Foreign Affairs that in view of the contemplated departure of the Legation Guard on August 3 it is impracticable for the marines to undertake the organization and training of the Nicaraguan National Guard at this late date. You may remind him that this Government has repeatedly declared its readiness to assist the Nicaraguan Government in connection with the organization of the constabulary. It did so in November 1923, and again in January of this year, when at the urgent request of the Nicaraguan Government it consented that the Legation Guard should remain in Nicaragua for the time being. On this latter occasion, however, this Government made it clear that it was acceding to the Nicaraguan Government's request only upon the definite understanding that the work of organizing the police force would be immediately undertaken and energetically prosecuted in accordance with a suitable plan. Nearly 6 months have elapsed during which the consideration of a plan for a constabulary met with frequent and apparently unnecessary delays, and during which the Nicaraguan Government showed little interest in the proffered assistance of the officers of the Legation Guard. It therefore appeared unnecessary to retain the Legation Guard longer in Managua. GREW 124.1718/139: Telegram The Chargé in Nicaragua (Thurston) to the Secretary of State MANAGUA, August 1, 1925—4 p. m. 126. The Legation guard left Managua this morning and arrived at Corinto this afternoon. THURSTON EFFORTS BY THE UNITED STATES TO PRESERVE CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT IN NICARAGUA 817.00/3303: Telegram The Minister in Nicaragua (Eberhardt) to the Secretary of State MANAGUA, August 29, 1925—5 p. m. [Received August 30-2:51 a. m.] 134. Last night at about 11 o'clock General Alfredo Rivas, commander of the Loma garrison, sent a newly-armed nondescript body of troops under a subordinate officer to the International Club where a reception was being held in honor of Doctor Leonardo Arguello, Minister of Public Instruction. These troops forcibly carried off to the Loma as prisoners Doctor Roman y Reyes, Minister of Hacienda, two editors and several other men of alleged strong Liberal tendencies who were further alleged to be unduly influencing and coercing President Solorzano. General Rivas states he thus forestalled a revolution which he claims was planned by the Liberals for next week. By his action he said that he had avoided bloodshed and had aided rather than embarrassed the President. He demanded the removal of several Liberal members of the Cabinet, mostly under secretaries, and their replacement by conservative Republicans. In this demand the President has apparently acquiesced. Roman y Reyes is to be superseded by Adan Cárdenas as Minister of Hacienda, and the Ministry of War is to be annexed to the Presidency. Business and communication are interrupted and considerable tension prevails but the entire affair seems in a [on the] way to an early satisfactory settlement. There has been no bloodshed though many of the guests at the reception were terrorized by the firing of numerous shots into the air and by the shouts of the armed men who carried away the prisoners referred to. The Legation will keep the Department informed of further developments. Written report follows. 12 EBERHARDT "Not printed. 817.00/3307: Telegram The Minister in Nicaragua (Eberhardt) to the Secretary of State MANAGUA, September 1, 1925—2 p. m. 135. Referring to the Legation's No. 134, August 29, 5 p. m. Martial law declared in Managua yesterday. Railroad communication resumed, otherwise situation remains unchanged. EBERHARDT 817.00/3308: Telegram The Minister in Nicaragua (Eberhardt) to the Secretary of State MANAGUA, September 3, 1925-6 p. m. [Received September 4-2:45 p. m.] 138. Dominated by his wife's family, threatened by the Conservatives under Emilieno Chamorro who is now in Managua, urged by the Liberals to assert his authority, President Solorzano has vacillated for a week between offering his resignation or demanding the resignation of his brother-in-law, General Alfredo Rivas, who was responsible for the International Club incident and who now controls the garrison. Today Rivas had an interview with President Solorzano at the President's home where the former appeared under guard of 50 armed men with two machine guns which were trained on the house during the interview. Rivas promises to surrender the Loma one week from today when it is believed that he will be given some appointment which will carry him from Nicaragua. Politics have entered largely and bitterly into the situation, the Conservatives being generally considered as responsible for much of the trouble. Thinking men of all parties appear to feel that there is no danger of immediate revolution but that unless Rivas is soon relieved and the President assumes firmer authority anarchy is likely to prevail throughout the country. EBERHARDT 817.00/3309: Telegram The Minister in Nicaragua (Eberhardt) to the Secretary of State MANAGUA, September 6, 1925-7 p. m. [Received September 7 (?)-2:41 p. m.] 139. Situation described in last paragraph my telegram of September 3, 6 p. m. remains unchanged except that President Solorzano's |