Messersmith, G.S., Havana. To Sumner Welles, Washington., 1940 May 29

Recounts efforts to stop vote by Constitutional Assembly on articles deemed undesirable by U.S.; especially those dealing with moratorium legislation; talked with President Laredo Bru, who is opposed to articles; some of Assembly have personal interests which they hope to advance by including such articles in Constitution; document committee has prepared more a code of laws than a Constitution, and will make future legislation difficult; Assembly voted yesterday evening and approved work of Committee as a whole; a possibility that as project is considered item by item some improvement maybe made; as it stands now Constitution would protect private property and provide safe basis for civil contracts and that is big step forward.