815.51/397

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Honduras ( Belden )

No. 368

Sir: With reference to your telegram of June 3, 3 p.m., by which you reported to the Department that Dr. Arthur N. Young would be acceptable to the Honduran Government under the same conditions as previously stated, the following outline of Dr. Young’s career is given for your information:

Dr. Young, who is at present Regional Economist in the Office of the Foreign Trade Adviser of the Department, received his Ph.D. in Economics and Finance at Princeton in 1914. Thereafter he was Instructor and Professor of Economics for three years. In 1917 he served as Financial Expert for the Doheny Commission to study the Mexican situation, and subsequently as Adviser on Taxation to the Commission on Administrative and Financial Reorganization of the Mexican Government. In 1918 he was Trade Expert for the War Trade Board; from 1918–1919 he was Trade Commissioner of the Department of Commerce to investigate banking and finances in Spain. He has been in the State Department since December 1919. He is the author of several books, including one on the finances of the Federal District of Mexico (1918) and one on Spanish finances and trade, now in press.

The Department believes it would be difficult to find a man better equipped for this post than Dr. Young. He combines a thorough economic and financial training with actual practical work in investigating Latin American financial conditions. As an economist, Dr. Young has an unusually high reputation for a man of his age. Furthermore, he speaks Spanish fluently and is thoroughly familiar with Latin American characteristics and institutions.

The success of Dr. Young’s mission in Honduras will obviously be greatly facilitated by your good offices, and to this end you are instructed to give him access to all material in the possession of the Legation of an economic, or social nature.

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You may inform the Honduran Government that Dr. Young expects to sail on July 24, next, from San Francisco on the steamer Natchez to Amapala.

I am [etc.]

Bainbridge Colby