321.1154 United Fruit Company/9: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Colombia (Piles)
31. Your telegram No. 48, June 20, 2 p.m. The proposed legislation reported in your telegram has also been brought to the attention of the Department by the United Fruit Company, which called attention to the difficulty of growing bananas under a system of irrigation that is nationalized and under the control of, and operated by, the Government of Colombia.
You are instructed to watch developments closely and to report thoroughly and promptly to the Department by telegraph. In the opinion of the Department it might have a beneficial effect if you would informally advise the Minister for Foreign Affairs that you have been instructed to follow the progress of this measure and report on the probable effect on American interests in Colombia of such proposed legislation. Although the Department does not feel that any protest would be justified at present, it hopes that no legislation will be passed which would result in injustice or discrimination against the large American investments in irrigation works in Colombia.