763.72113/1329: Telegram
The Minister in Guatemala ( McMillin ) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 5—1:35 p.m.]
138. Your instructions number 399 of July 31. The program concerning German properties this Government inclines to carry out is as follows:
- First, confirm rights of Americans in electric properties purchased by them.
- Second, protect Apparicios18 and all other Americans owning interests in German properties.
- Third, indemnify Guatemala for guarding bridge and other expenses and damages by appropriating the funds accumulated from operating German properties since their seizure amounting to about two million dollars.
- Four, return said properties except electric light and Apparicio holdings to Germans minus accumulations indicated.
This program known to the Government and this Legation only and will be changed if not acceptable to the United States. In view of Department’s instruction number 399 of July 31, I shall not oppose this settlement without further instructions and it will be disclosed to the British and the French Legations and taken up with the Germans.
The Government prefers to conclude the affair before receiving the German Minister.
- Members of the Apparicio family, who were American citizens.↩