Mr. Hay to Mr.
von Holleben.
Department of State,
Washington, April 5,
1902.
My Dear Mr. Ambassador: I take pleasure in
communicating to you the inclosed memorandum in reply to the pro memoriâ
you left with me on the 3d instant.
I am, etc.,
[Page 427]
[Inclosure.]
Memorandum.
With respect to the pro memoriâ of the Imperial German embassy, dated
April 3, 1902, stating that the council of foreign bondholders in
London, which is seeking to make a new arrangement with the
Government of Guatemala respecting the foreign debt of that country,
has suggested that the proposed arrangement ought to be acknowledged
by the most interested powers, the United States, England, and
Germany, in order to induce the Government of Guatemala to stick to
the new arrangement, and inquiring whether the United States
Government would be inclined to join in a proceeding of the
above-mentioned kind, should it be adopted by the German and English
Governments, the Department of State has the honor to reply as
follows:
While the Government of the United States is indisposed to join in
any collective act which might bear the aspect of coercive pressure
upon Guatemala, this Government would reserve for its citizens equal
benefits with those which might be obtained for creditors of any
other nationality in the adjustment of the Guatemalan foreign debt,
and the United States minister to Guatemala will be instructed to
advise the Guatemalan Government of this attitude on the part of the
United States.
Department of
State,
Washington, April 5,
1902.
