File No. 837.51/295

The Assistant Secretary of the Treasury ( Leffingwell) to the Counselor for the Department of State ( Polk)

Dear Mr. Polk: The Secretary of the Treasury is intending to establish a credit of $15,000,000 in favor of the Republic of Cuba and I will be obliged if you will advise this department whether the Republic of Cuba has power to incur this indebtedness and whether the Cuban Minister has authority to sign obligations for the amounts advanced. It is intended to take Cuban demand obligations for the amounts advanced, secured by the pledge of bonds of the Republic of Cuba authorized by the act of the Congress of Cuba of July 31, 1917.

Very truly yours,

R. C. Leffingwell