tation near Quebradas and Playitas that there is no movement of any kind in prospect there and that there has been none. Repeated to Tegucigalpa. GEISSLER 815.00/3711 The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Salvador (Engert) No. 167 WASHINGTON, May 13, 1925. SIR: The Department has received Mr. Schuyler's strictly confidential despatch of April 20, 1925,21 reporting a conversation with the President of Salvador in which Dr. Quiñonez stated that he was considering cooperating with the authorities of Honduras in the maintenance of peace in the Department of Ocotepeque. If you find that the Government of Salvador is actually contemplating any steps of the nature suggested by Dr. Quiñonez you may say informally that this Government feels that the intervention of Salvador's armed forces to maintain peace in Honduranean territory would set an undesirable precedent and very possibly cause international complications in Central America, and that it would therefore regret any intervention of this nature, however beneficial the im mediate effect might be in promoting tranquillity in Honduras. I am [etc.] JOSEPH C. GREW 815.00/3720: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Houghton) [Paraphrase] WASHINGTON, May 16, 1925-4 p. m. 154. Information has come to the Department which indicates that revolutionists in Honduras are trying to get arms and ammunition from Belize, British Honduras. Please take up the matter with the proper authorities and orally and informally express to them the hope that they will take all proper measures to prevent arms being exported from Belize to Honduras where they might be used to foment disorders. This Government is now endeavoring to assist the recently established constitutional authorities in Honduras to establish order. KELLOGG 21 Not printed; Montgomery Schuyler was the American Minister to Salvador. 815.00/3721 : Telegram The Ambassador in Great Britain (Houghton) to the Secretary of State [Paraphrase] LONDON, May 18, 1925-4 p. m. [Received May 18-10: 58 (?) a. m.] 148. Department's number 154, dated May 16, 4 p. m. Foreign Office has assured me that it will issue proper instructions. HOUGHTON 815.00/3729 : Telegram The Chargé in Honduras (Dennis) to the Secretary of State TEGUCIGALPA, May 27, 1925—2 p. m. 71. My telegram No. 70, May 22, 10 p. m.22 The President's secretary exhibited this morning to me at the Legation a letter in the handwriting of Ferrera from Guatemala City dated May 10th addressed to Ochoa and followers associating himself with the insurrectionists, giving definite instructions for revolution in Honduras, and indicating hiding place of arms and the readiness of Reds at Livingston, Guatemala to launch expedition at a designated moment. Ochoa was killed shortly after landing from a sailing vessel at Salado in company with a small number of leaders including a Mexican general, who was later captured with further instructions from Ferrera of the same character which I expect to verify in a few days. After comparison of the above-mentioned letter with numerous examples of Ferrera's handwriting on file in the Legation I am able to certify to the genuineness of the letter. The Honduran Government would appreciate an intimation from the Legation as to the advisability of requesting the expulsion of Ferrera from Guatemala. The Honduran Government reports successes and good prospects in the operation against scattered insurrectionary bands along the border of Guatemala. Repeated to Salvador and Guatemala. DENNIS 815.00/3729 : Telegram The Secretary of State to the Minister in Guatemala (Geissler) WASHINGTON, May 29, 1925—5 p. m. 35. As you have been informed by the Legation at Tegucigalpa the Honduran authorities have obtained convincing evidence that Ferrera Not printed. has been involved in recent disturbances in Honduras. The Department is informing the legation at Tegucigalpa that it feels that Honduras would be justified in asking the Government of Guatemala to take appropriate steps to put an end to Ferrera's activities. Upon being informed that the Government of Honduras has made representations in the matter you may inform President Orellana that the American Chargé d'Affaires at Tegucigalpa has seen the captured letter from Ferrera to the Honduran revolutionists and is convinced of its authenticity, and that the Government of the United States therefore hopes that the Guatemalan Government will take prompt and effective steps to terminate Ferrera's activities, as well as to place under restraint and bring to justice the Honduran revolutionists at Livingston. KELLOGG 815.00/3729 : Telegram The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Honduras (Dennis) WASHINGTON, May 29, 1925-5 p. m. 55. Your May 27, 2 p. m. The Department feels that the Government of Honduras would be justified in requesting the Government of Guatemala to take appropriate steps to put an end to Ferrera's activities now that convincing evidence of his plotting against the constitutional authorities in Honduras has been obtained. It is instructing the American Legation at Guatemala as follows: [Here follows the last sentence of the Department's telegram No. 35, May 29, to the Minister in Guatemala, supra.] KELLOGG 815.00/3707 The Secretary of State to the Consul at Ceiba (Waller) WASHINGTON, June 2, 1925. SIR: The Department has received your despatch No. 51 of April 22, 1925,23 explaining your actions during the crisis at La Ceiba on April 19 and 20, 1925. On your statement the Department approves and commends your action. The Department fully realizes that you were compelled to act upon your own initiative in communicating with the commander of the Denver regarding the expected attack upon La Ceiba and has no doubt that you acted in accordance with your best judgment. While the Department desires that the American consular officers on the north coast of Honduras should not hesitate to act upon their 23 Not printed. own initiative in taking measures essential for the the protection of American lives when they are convinced that the emergency is so grave and the danger so imminent as to leave no time for consulting the Department, when an emergency arises the Department desires that you should bear in mind its wish that Marines should not be landed at any time without prior consultation with the Department unless the necessity for such action is absolutely clear. It feels that the presence of an American warship will usually of itself be sufficient to procure respect for American life and property and that further measures should not ordinarily be taken unless such measures are clearly imperative. While the naval commander, in accordance with the standing instructions of the Navy Department must act upon his own responsibility in landing forces or taking other military measures, he will act in consultation with the diplomatic representative or consul and presumably will ordinarily act in accordance with the latter's advice. Accordingly, the Department desires that its representatives should express definitely to the naval commanders and to the Department their opinion regarding the action necessary in a given emergency, and it does not desire that they should transmit requests for help from the local authorities or from resident Americans without transmitting at the same time their own recommendations. You are instructed to bear the foregoing carefully in mind for your guidance in future contingencies. I am [etc.] For the Secretary of State: 815.00/3737: Telegram The Chargé in Honduras (Dennis) to the Secretary of State TEGUCIGALPA, June 3, 1925-2 p. m. [Received June 4-11: 15 p. m.] 73. Referring to the Department's telegram of May 29, 5 p. m. The Honduranean Government has sent instructions to Lainez 24 to make appropriate representations to the Guatemalan Government on the basis of the Ferrera letters, fresh invasions, and the findings of a commission of investigation along the border. Repeated to Guatemala and Salvador. "Silverio Lainez, Honduran Minister to Guatemala. DENNIS 815.00/3743 : Telegram The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Honduras (Dennis) WASHINGTON, June 22, 1925-3 p. m. 61. Your June 6, 1 p. m.,25 and other correspondence regarding revolutionary difficulties. Before the Department could consider lending more active support to the Government of Honduras in maintaining stable political conditions it would have to be certain that the Government of Honduras itself was taking active and energetic steps to establish more orderly conditions, particularly in such districts as Ceiba, Tela and Trumillo, and it would also desire a formal request in writing from the Government of Honduras indicating in just what way the Government of the United States could be of assistance. The Department views with concern the situation existing in the north coast districts mentioned, where the failure of the constituted authorities to maintain order and repress crime is a menace to the security of the very numerous Americans living there. It desires therefore that you should discuss with the appropriate officials the necessity for taking active steps to deal with that situation. If they express a desire to have the assistance of the United States in doing so you may say that the Department would doubtless require a definite statement in writing indicating in what manner its assistance was desired, if it were to give consideration to the matter. You may also say that any steps taken would presumably be more likely to be successful if taken with the full approval and support of Carias,26 Martinez Funes and Tosta, and that your Government would presumably wish to know that these leaders had formally expressed their approval of any request for assistance which the Honduran Government might make. KELLOGG 815.00/3773: Telegram The Chargé in Nicaragua (Thurston) to the Secretary of State MANAGUA, June 24, 1925—10 a. m. [Received 3:47 p. m.] 109. The Nicaraguan Government yesterday declared the [a] state of siege [in] territory along a specified strip of territory adjacent to the Honduranean boundary in order to enable the authorities to adopt more effective measures for the control of lawlessness. Repeated to Honduras. THURSTON 25 Not printed. 26 Tiburcio Carias, Chief of the National Party. |