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July 28, 1939

News in Bulletin re Scout Officers not accepting offer.

I went to see Valdes on this news.

Valdes sent for Lim. Lim agrees with my information that news must have come from Olivares. Lim remarks it was a mistake to have called Olivares. Valdes says he called Moran and Olivares on his own hook in order to know their reactions too. He said that he made it clear to them that they were not included among those he was instructed to contact. Valdes asked me my estimate of the situation as to who will accept and who will not. I told him that all except Olivares, German, Romero, probably all will accept some with reservations some without. He spoke of the letter of Garcia A which he let us read. He said Santos has also accepted. We discussed about the best thing for Scout officers to do. I maintained that they must all show their loyalty, that it would be the best to all concerned if they accept without any rank to avoid embarrassments. Lim said he agreed with me. Valdes said that MacA will probably object as this status was the very thing that provoke the issue last September. Valdes gave an estimate of the Pres. He said that the Pres can not disown MacA acts now, but once these officers are in the Pres will do something for them.

We concluded the meeting with the promise of V. to back up the Gen Staff for higher rank for these officers. He said “absolutely” to my statement that provided he would stand by that statement that it would probably help the situation if these officers knew this stand of V. I radioed Amando telling him of this important development and that he must not miss tea at the Lims tomorrow. This is a new development.