File No. 763.72/3255
The Minister in Haiti ( Bailly-Blanchard) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 8, 12.30 a.m.]
Your circular February 3, 1 p.m. received and complied with February 4. Minister for Foreign Affairs reply received to-day at noon as follows:
The important communication which your excellency, in the name of his Government, has judged he should deliver to me in person on Sunday, the 4th instant, has been submitted to the council of Secretaries of State. Its terms have been carefully weighed; the situation which they determine has been fully examined.
The Haitian Government notes that notwithstanding the rupture of the relations between the United States and Germany, the President of the United States “can not decide to believe that the German war vessels will actually carry out the threats which are made against neutral commerce; but, if that is done, the President will ask from Congress the authorization to use the national power for the protection of American citizens.”
In the presence of these grave eventualities, the Haitian Government, obliged to safeguard the national interests, desirous of serving the personality of the world, and of bringing its sincere contribution [Page 224] to everything which will be attempted to hasten the end of the catastrophe which afflicted humanity for almost three years, is entirely disposed, following the appeal addressed by the United States to the neutral powers, to adopt, in the forms and conditions outlined by the National Constitution, such attitude as will be determined by the development of the new events and which will be necessary to attain, as soon as possible, these higher [objects].
In praying you to transmit to the American Government all the sympathy or the Haitian Government in the present junctures, I renew [etc.].
The Legation’s note and above reply thereto appearing in daily press simultaneously with the receipt of the latter at the Legation, I called upon Minister for Foreign Affairs at once for explanation. He stated reply should have been delivered at the Legation yesterday noon, expressed profound regrets at delay, and has ordered investigation.