File No. 763.72/4905
The Minister in Panama ( Price) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 25.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that a most satisfactory meeting was held last Monday afternoon at the summer home of the President of Panama for a general talk and conference relating to measures for the proper defense of Panama and the Canal Zone, and to the situation generally, incidental to the war with Germany.
The meeting was held pursuant to my suggestion to the military authorities of the Canal Zone, and in making the suggestion I had the idea in view that such a conference, from time to time, would serve to add very materially to the interest and enthusiasm of the Panaman officials. The suggestion was very heartily accepted by Brig. Gen. E. H. Plummer, Commanding General of the Panama Canal and Canal Zone, and it was equally acceptable to the Panaman authorities when I took the matter up with them after General Plummer concurred in it. I enclose a copy of my note making the suggestion.1
The Department will remember from my despatches prior to this we have had conferences at my suggestion, but this one was on a larger scale with more officials formally invited.
[Page 288]General Plummer called to the conference the Governor of the Panama Canal; Commander Cone, the Marine Superintendent of the Canal; Capt. H. D. Mitchell, Chief of the Canal Zone Police and Detective Service; Maj. Oliver Edwards of the Staff of the Commanding General; Capt. Chas. E. T. Lull, who has succeeded Major Edwards as intelligence officer; Maj. J. K. Miller, the Provost Marshal, and Maj. H. A. White, the Judge Advocate on the Staff of the Commanding General. The Secretary of the Legation, Mr. Curtis, accompanied me and I also asked Mr. Alban G. Snyder, the American Consul General here. President Valdez and all his Cabinet were present with the exception of Sr. Dr. Morales, who is in Washington, and in addition there were present Sr. Ernesto Arias, the Captain of the Port of Panama; Sr. Rodolfo Estripeaut, the Commandante of the National Police of Panama; the Governor of the Province of Panama, and the Mayor of this city.
I opened the conference by stating the general object of it, chiefly that of conferring for the purpose of better and more effective cooperation, and stating to President Valdez that we would be most pleased to hear from him and to have any suggestions that might occur to him, saying incidentally that his knowledge of local conditions in the Republic of Panama was, of course, much better than we could have and also highly valuable. The President responded that they stood ready and willing to do their best and to cooperate with us to the extent of their ability, and very gratifyingly stated that they preferred to defer to our military authorities for all plans of defense of a military nature, on account of their better acquaintance with the subject.
The matter of the development of agriculture in the Republic and of improving the food supply was discussed at some length; the question of adopting a censorship of the mails, which had already been taken up with the Foreign Office of Panama; the matter of adopting the registration, similar to that being carried on in the ports of the Canal Zone for people who might be going and coming in small vessels that touched in Panaman ports, were all taken up and full accord was found on the part of the Panamans.
General Plummer agreed to transmit in writing suggestions relating to the matters mentioned and methods akin to them.
The meeting was a very harmonious one, and I am sure productive of much good.
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩