710.1012 Washington/55

The Minister in the Dominican Republic (Young) to the Secretary of State

No. 915

Sir: Having further reference to the Department’s instruction No. 239, April 14, 1928,92 in regard to the conference which is to be held at Washington this year on conciliation and arbitration, and supplementing the Legation’s despatch No. 885, May 11, 1928, I have the honor to report that in a recent conference with me the Minister of Foreign Affairs stated that from the records of the Foreign Office it appears that the Gondra Treaty was never submitted to the Dominican Congress for approval. The Minister said confidentially that if the present boundary negotiations with Haiti reach a successful conclusion93 the treaty will be submitted to the Congress at its next session which convenes on August 16.

Mr. Sanchez again stated that he was fully in sympathy with the purposes of the proposed Washington conference and that he will press for the ratification of the Gondra Treaty so soon as the boundary question is adjusted.

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The Department will recall in this connection the refusal of the Dominican Government last year to enter into a treaty of friendship and amity with Haiti, as proposed by President Borno, outlawing war between the two countries. The reasons underlying the attitude of the Dominican Government in the matter were reported in the Legation’s confidential despatch No. 648, October 8, 1927.94

The Legation has not yet received a final reply to its Note of May 10, 1928 to the Foreign Office, in regard to the coming conference at Washington. Mr. Sanchez has assured me verbally, however, that the suggestions of the Department in regard to the conference are entirely agreeable to the Dominican Government and that the Foreign Office is merely awaiting the written authority of President Vasquez before apprising me formally to that effect.

I have [etc.]

Evan E. Young