File No. 813.00/858
The Secretary of State to the Salvadorean Minister
Washington, September 5, 1917.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of August 23, 1917, in which you inform me that your Government, moved by what you refer to as the action of the Government of Nicaragua in denouncing the convention which creates a Central American Court of Justice, has made known to the other Governments of Central America its desire that a Central American Conference be held for the purpose of considering and proposing the form and conditions under which the Central American Court of Justice shall continue at the expiration of the period stated in the Convention of 1907. You further inform me that your Government has given you special instructions to say to me that it would be pleased if the Government of the United States would send representatives to the contemplated conference in the event of its being held.
In reply I have the honor to express my sincere appreciation that the Government of Salvador has seen fit to make this suggestion. It appears, however, from your note that the conference, if held, will be participated in by those persons who are now purporting to exercise governmental authority in Costa Rica. These persons who recently overthrew by force the Constitutional Government of Costa Rica are not recognized by this Government. You will therefore, I am sure, appreciate the motives actuating this Government when I express its very real regret that it cannot, in view of the circumstances above alluded to, act favorably on the suggestion which your Government has done this Government the honor to make.
Accept [etc.]