738.3915/202

The Secretary of State to the Minister in the Dominican Republic ( Russell )

No. 321

Sir: Referring to your number 496 of August 20, 1919, enclosing a copy of a letter which the Military Government of the Dominican Republic desired forwarded to the Government of Haiti, proposing a definite settlement of the boundary between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, I have to say that a copy of the letter was forwarded to the American Minister at Port au Prince and that a despatch has been received from him in which he states that this letter does not appear to agree with the preliminary arrangements made by the Military Governor of the Dominican Government and the Minister, with the President of Haiti, at the time of Rear Admiral Snowden’s visit to Port au Prince. The Minister adds that the plan then considered and discussed was that a Commission should be formed of two Haitians and two Dominicans and with the United States as umpire, and that this plan was approved by the President of Haiti, and that in pursuance of the understanding with the American Minister at Port au Prince, he had conferred with the President of Haiti, resulting in an agreement that a Haitian law should be passed authorizing the formation of the Commission and the appointment of the Haitian members, as soon as the Minister should advise the President that the Government of the United States approved thereof.

For these reasons the Minister is of the opinion that the proposed letter of the Military Government of Santo Domingo should not be [Page 298] sent, and he suggests that Rear Admiral Snowden be advised of the above developments to which that officer had agreed in principle. The American Minister thinks that it would be very unwise at this time to change from the above mentioned plan to the one of 1895, referred to by the Military Governor of the Dominican Republic.

I am [etc.]

Robert Lansing