File No. No. 763.72112Am1/4
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Honduras ( Ewing )
Department in receipt of authentic proof of attempt on part of German firms of J. Rossner & Co. and Theodore Kohncke & Co. to transfer their interests at Amapala to Dr. Jose del Carmen Gasteazoro by means of secret contract. As this appears to be a direct attempt by enemy aliens to evade provisions of Trading with the Enemy Act and to set up a cloak for their commercial activities, you are instructed immediately to see President of Honduras and suggest to him that he now take the effective action which he promised in the interview which was had with him at the time of the visit of Mr. Long to Tegucigalpa, should he be furnished with proof of German activity in Amapala. You may further suggest that Honduras should at this time take drastic measures to bring to an end the activities, of the German agents and say that this Government has found internment the only effective means of completely safeguarding its welfare in cases of this kind.
You may further state, in a most emphatic manner, that this Government feels, convinced that the activities in Amapala of the firms of Rossner and Kohncke are a serious menace to its interests as well as to the interests of Honduras and therefore looks to the Government of Honduras to take immediately such action as is necessary to suppress the danger at that point.