File No. 818.00/84
Minister Hale to the Secretary of State
San José , February 13, 1917, 5 p.m.
In accordance with Department’s February 9, 3 p.m., I met General Tinoco at Mr. Keith’s residence yesterday. Besides Mr. Keith,3 Tinoco’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Lara, and clerk Smith [Page 308] were present. I handed to General Tinoco the copy of the note to the four other republics and read to him the part addressed to him personally. He asked if it was meant to withhold recognition from him even if he should be elected by a free vote.
He remarked that the judicial branch of the Government which was unaffected by deposition of the executive was preserving the continuity of Government.
Department’s February 8, 5 p.m. Besides my own investigations I expect to get written opinions from the seven ex-Presidents.
- Mr. John M. Keith, an American banker in San José.↩