738.3915/320
The Minister in the Dominican Republic (Young) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 22.]
Sir: Supplementing the Legation’s previous despatches respecting the Dominican-Haitian boundary question and the conclusion of a suggested treaty of amity, I have the honor to submit the following confidential information with respect to the present status of these matters.
The efforts of the Haitian Legation here to effect the conclusion of a convention or treaty of amity of the nature mentioned in my despatch No. 644 of October 5th have thus far proven unsuccessful. I am confidentially informed, however, by the Haitian Minister that in a recent informal conference with the Dominican Minister of Foreign Affairs he inquired whether the Dominican Government would be inclined to enter into the treaty without further delay if there should be eliminated from the present draft the provision to the effect that if friendly negotiations should fail of effecting the settlement of any question between the two governments, the good offices of a third power, if proferred, must be accepted. Minister Dejaan informs me that the Minister of Foreign Affairs indicated that it was his personal opinion that the Dominican Government would be prepared to conclude the treaty without delay with the elimination of the provision mentioned. Minister Sanchez agreed to submit the matter to President Vasquez and to inform Mr. Dejean of the President’s views, but the Haitian Minister has heard nothing further in regard to the matter.
From the conversations which I have had with the Haitian Minister and with the Minister of Foreign Affairs it is my opinion that the Dominican Government is not considering suggesting to the Haitian Government any plan whereby the boundary question may be submitted for arbitration to the League of Nations. From the inception of the present negotiations the Legation has of course kept this point carefully in mind and it will continue to do so. Should it at any time appear that there exists any real possibility of such a suggestion being [Page 354] advanced, the Department will of course be promptly informed by cable.
Insofar as the boundary question itself is concerned, there have been no recent developments of interest or importance, and it now seems improbable that any action in the matter will be taken by the Dominican Government prior to the forthcoming visit of President Borno which is now tentatively set for December 6th. In the meantime a committee, composed principally of prominent lawyers, which was informally appointed by President Vasquez to study the whole question of the frontier problem is continuing its studies. I was informed today that the committee has about completed its work and that its report will be in the hands of the President within a few days.
The executive committee of the Dominican Nationalist Party recently adopted a resolution, a translation of which is enclosed herewith,90 protesting against the institution of any negotiations respecting the frontier question “so long as the military occupation continues in the neighboring Republic”. In addition, the President of the party recently addressed an open letter to the members of the committee mentioned above contending that the present so-called Haitian Government is illegal and unconstitutional and is therefore incapable of entering into international agreements which would be binding upon the countries concerned. A translation of the letter is enclosed.90
I have [etc.]