838.51/3404: Telegram
The Chargé in Haiti (Finley) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1:55 p.m.]
55. Legation’s 53, August 2, 9 a.m.90 Leger has informed me that the purpose of the French Minister’s visit to the Foreign Office this morning was to propose a new examination by them of two or three minor points in the draft of the Franco-Haitian commercial convention. Leger told De Lens that while he was quite willing to discuss any of these points he felt it would be a waste of time to do so unless France was now seriously interested in concluding the convention. Leger said he was unable to decide from what De Lens said whether this new proposal can or cannot be taken as an indication that the French Government is disposed to divorce the 1910 question from that of the commercial convention. He naturally hopes so. In any case he said he repeated very emphatically to De Lens, in order that there could be no mistake, that he had resumed complete liberty of action in the 1910 matter and that he did not feel bound, even morally, to pay the French bondholders anything.
- Not printed.↩