810.43 Anti-imperialistic League/72
The Minister in Honduras (Summerlin) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 11.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s confidential instruction No. 263 of June 12, 1928,13 (file No. 810.43 Anti-Imperialist League/65), directing me to report any information I may have which would indicate that the funds collected by the All-America Anti-Imperialist League in the United States are being used for the purchase of munitions for the Sandino forces in Nicaragua.
According to reliable information it does not appear that arms and ammunition purchased from any source are reaching Sandino through Honduras, except possibly in entirely negligible quantities. It is not the same, however, in regard to money. There is no doubt that …, who is Sandino’s openly avowed agent in Tegucigalpa, is sending money in considerable amounts to Sandino, although it would be difficult to prove in a court of law. The money is said to come to …, by messengers, directly from Mexico City. According to information received by the Legation, all money collected for Sandino goes to … or …, both addresses in Mexico City. It is more than probable that the larger portion of these funds is collected in the United States and forwarded via Mexico, to … and possibly other agents of Sandino in Central America. There appears to be little doubt too, although there is no tangible proof, that … is in touch with, if he is not actually an agent of, the All-America Anti-Imperialist League in the United States. The enclosed propaganda sheet issued by the League,14 came from … office and I understand that it is planned to have a translation into Spanish made and to distribute the sheet in that language in Tegucigalpa.
I cannot understand why the Government of Nicaragua has not long ago demanded, under the Treaties of 1923, that this Government [Page 582] curb the activities of … In view of widespread native sympathy for Sandino and the weakness of Dr. Paz’s Government it is not within reason to expect him to take such action unless an appropriate demand is made upon him. … whole activity indicates that he feels he can act with impunity and it may be that he has received advices from Nicaragua that no serious attempt will be made to interfere with him, for it appears that Sandino enjoys considerable popular sympathy even in Nicaragua.
I have [etc.]