Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, 1929, Volume I

810.71211/5: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Honduras (Summerlin)³

Washington, July 12, 1929—6 p.m.

51. This Government considers it very important that the United States mails should be carried to the Latin American countries by air mail by American companies. You will therefore please support in every proper way American companies which have been awarded contracts by the United States Post Office Department to obtain privileges necessary for carrying mails to Cuba in accordance with contracts with the United States Post Office Department.

The Post Office Department has given the Department a list of the air mail routes into Latin America and has stated that “in rendering diplomatic assistance where concessions are involved to carry out the contracts for service on the above routes or extensions thereof, it is desired, of course, that our contractors be given preference.” The following is the route which affects Honduras:

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Stimson

3. Similar instructions were sent to the diplomatic missions in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

   On July 23 mail instructions similar to the above were sent to the Consulates at Belize, Curaçao, Georgetown, and Nassau.

   A similar telegram dated July 23, noon, was sent to the Vice Consul at Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.