Office of the Historian

File No. 763.72/3295

The Chargé in Colombia ( Belden) to the Secretary of State

[Telegram]
Bogotá, February 9, 1917, midnight.
[Received February 10, 5 p.m.]

Department’s telegram February 3, 1 p.m. Colombian Minister for Foreign Affairs to-day acknowledged note without reference to similar action. Commercial interests anxious. Some apprehension exists as to invasion of Colombian territory by the United States to protect canal if there is war. Germans here will agitate this issue. [Page 230] I believe therefore that the approval of Colombian treaty at this time would be advantageous. See my telegram of February 3, 11 a.m.1

I have urged consuls to watch Germans.

Belden
  1. Not printed; see Foreign Relations, 1917, pp. 292 et seq.↩