File No 817.00/2033.
The Acting Secretary of State to the American Minister.
Washington, September 26, 1912, 6 p.m.
In a communication sent by him to this Government the President of Salvador erroneously assumes that our forces are making war in Nicaragua and suggests the cooperation of Salvador and this Government, by their good offices, in causing Don Salvador Calderón to be given provisional Chargé of the Nicaraguan administration pending the reestablishment of constitutional order. The President of Salvador highly praises Calderon as a friend of Díaz who he says has indicated that this plan would be acceptable. He offers also to influence the revolutionary leaders to this end. He rather criticises our military activity as not limited to safeguarding the Legation and American interests and intimates that our policy exceeds what is proper under our relation to the Washington Conventions.
In my reply I propose to say to the Minister of Salvador that this somewhat singular communication was evidently written several days ago because it is based to a great extent upon misstatements of facts; that recent news from Nicaragua must have made the true situation clear: and that accordingly I should hesitate to submit the communication to the President without being assured that the President of Salvador would still regard it as opportune. I shall also say that the President’s message sent the President of Salvador (with the Department’s September 4, 6 p.m. to the Legation at San Salvador) still accurately represents the views of the President and would seem to make quite clear the attitude of this Government upon the points now raised. I shall also say that the Government of the United States sees no reason whatever why the present lawful Government of Nicaragua should consider the question of giving place to any provisional government.