838.51/1191: Telegram

The Chargé in Haiti (Jordan) to the Secretary of State

4. My number 93, December 29, 6 [10] p.m. I was subsequently informed by the Acting Financial Adviser that the statement of the Minister of Finance, that the Haitian Government was in a position to pay the note provided the bank placed at its disposal the $600,000 stipulated in the statutory loan bank contract of 1910 and states that [sic] sum of $500,000 provided for in the agreement between bank and Haitian Government signed at Washington July 10, 1916, which would leave still due on the note an amount of about $860,000, cannot be considered as a true statement for the reason that the Government has no available funds to pay the $860,000 much less the full amount of the note $1,780,000. The Minister of Finance based his statement on the supposition that the account of interest and amortization could be used for that purpose and that he would seek to obtain authority from the State Department to do so. This account having already been drawn against to the extent of $110,000 per month from January to September, 1921, leaves available only about $250,000. Mr. Maumus has written full explanatory letter to Mr. McIlhenny.

Jordan