813.00 Washington/8a

The Secretary of State to President Harding

My Dear Mr. President: The conditions existing in the countries of Central America for some time have made it appear advisable for the United States Government to take some steps looking to the establishment of more peaceful and stable relations among them.

An important step in this direction was the conference on board the U. S. S. Tacoma on August 20, last.55. An agreement was signed by the Presidents of Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador which for the time being brought about better relations, but something more definite is needed to make permanent the gains already made and to accomplish other needed reforms. In the agreement it was stated that a further conference would be called in December to go into the general Central American situation more fully, and it was contemplated that Guatemala and Costa Rica, which were invited [Page 429] to adhere to the Tacoma agreement, would be included in the next conference.

The matter of convoking a conference in Washington of the Central American powers, on similar lines to the one held here in 1907,56 has been before the consideration of the Department for some time and the steps taken on board the Tacoma have seemed to indicate that such would be the proper course. During the last week, moreover, the Governments of Nicaragua and El Salvador have suggested, the former through its Minister in Washington and the latter through the American Legation in San Salvador, that it would be most advantageous should such a conference now be called by the United States Government, as it is felt that there will be more likelihood that Guatemala and Costa Rica would accept should the invitation come from the Government of the United States. It would appear, therefore, that the present is an auspicious time to issue invitations for such a conference, and I enclose herewith a memorandum57 briefly reviewing the general Central American situation for the last few years, together with an account of the present situation and the objects which should be sought at the proposed conference, together with a draft of an invitation58 to the five Central American countries to a conference to be held in Washington on December 4th, should you approve.

I am [etc.]

Charles E. Hughes
  1. See pp. 417 ff
  2. See Foreign Relations, 1907, pt. 2. pp. 644 ff.
  3. Not printed.
  4. See telegram no. 17, Oct. 21, 1922, to the Minister in Costa Rica, p. 430.