File No. 818.00/154
Mr. R. Fernández Guardia to the Secretary of State
Washington, May 19, 1917.
Mr. Secretary: I have been instructed by the Government of Costa Rica to bring to your excellency’s attention the pernicious activities that are being carried on by Don Alfredo González, Don Manuel Castro Quesada and a few others, under the pretense of support by the United States, with the very evident object of arresting the successful progress of the new Administration in Costa Rica and sowing dissension among the people.
Ever since Don Alfredo González came to Washington in the month of February last, he has not ceased to write to his relatives, and to the few friends he still retains in Costa Rica, to the effect that he is counting on the support of the United States to bring about his restoration to power by armed intervention.
The Government and leading men of Costa Rica well know that the claims of such support made by González are false; but the less intelligent among the people of the country, who are always in the majority, allow themselves to be impressed by his persistent reassertion of these false claims. Furthermore, certain misleading articles published in the newspapers of this country, such as the enclosed, from the New York Herald of the 15th instant, are being broadly disseminated throughout Costa Rica, and the authors and instigators of these articles give to them the appearance of having been inspired by the United States Government. On the other hand, the German colony, which is both numerous and rich, ably exploit those maneuvers for the purpose of instilling into the Costa Rican people a feeling of hostility towards the United States. This my Government looks upon with deep chagrin, for, as it has abundantly shown, it is genuinely desirous to maintain with this country the most cordial and dependable relations.
Forced by the facts above stated, the National Constituent Assembly, on the 17th instant, adopted legislation conferring on the President [Page 325] of the Republic the powers necessary to protect the country against any alteration of the public order that might result from the activities of German subjects by connivance with the friends of González; by the same act of that Assembly the President is empowered to pursue such international policy as may be for the best interests of the country. This act, therefore, constitutes a legislative confirmation of the statements, and the offers, which I had the honor to make to your excellency in my note of the 9th of April.
The Government of Costa Rica, convinced that the Government of the United States is wholly ignorant of the disloyal activities to which I have drawn its attention, takes refuge in the hope that it will disavow the use to which its name and its prestige is being put by Don Alfredo González and the small group of his friends in the effort to sow among the Costa Rican people the seeds of distrust and to unrest. By so doing it will once more earn the gratitude of the Government and people of Costa Rica.
I beg [etc.]