President Roosevelt to President Escalon of Salvador.
I earnestly appeal to Salvador to take immediate steps toward settling questions pending with Guatemala, either by agreement to arbitrate or by direct negotiation for a definitive agreement between the two countries. Disturbance of the peace of Central America inflicts grievous injury upon the affected States and causes the gravest concern to the United States, whose sole desire is to see its neighbors at peace. The recent deplorable renewal of hostilities should not be allowed to be the precursor of a protracted and disastrous struggle, perhaps involving other States and leading to results of which the scope can not be foreseen. In the interest of humanity and the indispensable peace of Central America it becomes my duty to urge a settlement before it may be too late. I offer the deck of the American ship of war Marblehead, now on the way to the coast of Salvador, as a neutral place where representatives of Guatemala and Salvador may meet to consider terms of agreement, an armistice between the contestants being meanwhile effected. I am telegraphing in the same sense to the President of Guatemala. My action has the full concurrence of the President of Mexico.
(Same, mutatis mutandis, to President Estrada Cabrera of Guatemala.)