438.00/421
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Latin American Affairs (Morgan)
Conversation [of] Sir John Broderick and Mr. Terence A. Shone of the British Embassy with General Russell and Mr. Morgan (Mr. Baker was unable to attend).
Sir John Broderick said that, following our previous conference on April 27 last, the matter had been taken up with the British Chargé d’Affaires at Port au Prince who had now obtained what he considered satisfactory assurances from his colleagues in Port au Prince showing that if these British claims were reopened this would not lead to the reopening of claims by other governments. Accordingly he felt that that difficulty had been removed. He understood that Dr. Millspaugh appeared to be in sympathy with the plan to have these claims reconsidered but had not felt that it was incumbent upon him to make any statement. He understood that Dr. Millspaugh had communicated his views to the Department.
Mr. Morgan replied that Dr. Millspaugh had done so and the Legation had reported the statements of the British Chargé d’Affaires to the effect that the British Government had received assurances from the French and other governments concerned on this subject that these latter governments would not reopen any claims settled by the Claims Commission.
Mr. Morgan then read the attached memorandum of recommendations of General Russell,8 which he stated met with the approval of the Department. Mr. Morgan said that the Department would expect to receive for the record some official communication from the British Embassy confirming the statements of the British Chargé d’Affaires at Port au Prince and showing that his belief that other claims would not be reopened by other countries was well founded. The Department, upon the receipt of such a communication and being satisfied that such was the case, would instruct the High Commissioner at Port au Prince to urge the Haitian Government to give these claims earnest consideration and to notify that Government [Page 61] that if it found payments justified the United States Government would not raise any objection.
Mr. Broderick expressed himself as deeply appreciative of the Department’s attitude and said that his Government would be much gratified. He said that a communication on the subject would be forthcoming from the British Embassy shortly.
- See General Russell’s memorandum to Mr. Baker, supra. ↩