File No. 861.00/3027a
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France ( Sharp)
5960. The Government of the United States has decided upon a loan to the Czecho-Slovak National Council as a de facto co-belligerent Government. Advances will be made by the Secretary of the Treasury under authority of the Second Liberty Bond Act and the acts amendatory thereof and supplemental thereto. In order to make the credits available to Professor Masaryk here it is necessary Department should be informed to its satisfaction that legal formalities concerning his authority to enter into the loan arrangement and sign the obligations, have been complied with. To this end Department must have (1) an authentic copy of the Constitution, by-laws or other fundamental law showing the power of the Council to contract foreign loans and to issue obligations therefor, and (2) the minutes of the proceedings of the Council or other appropriate document issued in accordance with its Constitution, by-laws or fundamental law authorizing Masaryk to enter into the loan agreement [Page 852] and to sign the obligations thereunder and to receive the advances. Please communicate at once with Czecho-Slovak National Council and obtain the above documents in the original or by authenticated copy and telegraph complete text verbatim so that they will reach Washington not later than morning of October 23.
This Government desires that these documents should show authority of Masaryk to enter into the loan agreement in behalf of his Government which will be valid and binding internationally.