810.79611 Pan American Airways, Inc./655
The Minister in Guatemala (Geissler) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 18.]
Sir: Referring to despatch 2559 of September 4, 1929, I have the honor to report, that Mr. Wilbur L. Morrison, of the Compañía Mexicana de Aviación, has told Secretary of Legation Hawks, that Minister of Fomento Daniel Hernandez has signed with him a “provisional license” or contract similar to the one granted by the Government of Guatemala to the Latin American Airways and by it assigned to the Pickwick Airways, and that the Minister of Fomento had also written him a letter, dated September 7, stating that until President Lázaro Chacón approves that contract, the Compañía Mexicana may bring “mail only” into Guatemala from Mexico.
As regards the abovementioned provisional contract, it will be recalled, that (see despatch 2557 of August 31, 1929,37) Mr. Morrison had asked for “authority to transport passengers, express and mail from abroad to the city of Guatemala and from this Capital abroad”. A copy furnished the Legation by Mr. Carlos Bauer-Avilés of the contract said to have been signed by Colonel Hernandez recites, however, as follows:—“The Republic authorizes the Company to establish a line of airplanes which shall render an international service of passengers, mail and express transportation. This line shall connect with the Mexican Republic at Mariscal or Tapachula, State of Chiapas, (according to contract already signed with the Government of Mexico), and with the United States of North America at [Page 585] Brownsville, Texas, the airplanes landing in the city of Guatemala.”
The Minister of Fomento has heretofore indicated, that if, as a result of pressure, he does allow the Mexican Aviation Company to enter Guatemala, he will still be disinclined to let it operate toward the south from the Capital.
The signing of the contract of the Mexican Aviation Company was, according to Nuestro Diario of September 10, made the occasion of a very gay banquet offered by Mr. Morrison, and which was participated in by a group of cabinet officers, the Chargé d’Affaires of Mexico, some other Mexicans, and the Vice Consul of the United States. Secretary of Embassy Reyes-Spindola told me last night, that he imagines that in view of the opposition offered by the Pickwick Airways the situation must have been embarrassing to the Government of the United States and its representatives, but that, since the planes of the Compañía Mexicana “fly the flag of Mexico”, the result is cause for great rejoicing.
I have [etc.]
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