817.00/6349
The Chargé in Nicaragua (Hanna) to
the Secretary of State
Managua, June 7, 1929.
[Received June
24.]
No. 1028
Sir: With reference to the Department’s
instruction No. 509 of May 6, 1929, directing the Legation to obtain
from the Brigade Commander and forward to the Department a full report
of the conference held at Las Manos on April 6, 1929, and of the
agreement said to have been entered into with the Honduran
representatives, I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of a
letter dated June 4, 1929, addressed to the Legation by the Brigade
Commander outlining the facts which he has been able to gather with
reference to the conference up to date.
The Brigade Commander states that with respect to the reported agreement
he is still unable to furnish definite information since Captain Stockes
is still on leave in the United States. He has informed the Legation,
however, that Captain Stockes is expected to return shortly and
additional information should be available at that time.19
It is noted that in the second paragraph of the Department’s instruction
referred to, the following appears, “Article I of which states that the
Nicaraguan and Marine forces will from that date onward cease the
pursuit of Sandinistas on the Honduran frontier with American airplanes
in view of the damage caused within Honduran territory by such
operations.”
That portion of the text of article 1 of the reported agreement, as
transmitted by the Legation at Tegucigalpa is as follows: “1. Los
representates de las fuerzas del Gobierno de Nicaragua y del Comandante
General de Nueva Segovia, Coronel J. A. Rossell, se obligan a que
terminen de hoy en adelante la persecución de Sandinistas, en la forma
en que se ha venido desarrollando, por los aviones [Page 572] americanos, en la frontera de Honduras
con Nicaragua, porque se tiene en cuenta los perjuicios que puedan
causarse en territorio hondureno, etc.”
This article is translated by the Legation at Tegucigalpa as follows:
“The representatives of the forces of the Nicaraguan Government and of
the Commandant General of Nueva Segovia, Colonel J. A. Rossell, bind
themselves from today on to end the pursuit of Sandinistas in the form
in which they have been using, by the American airplanes, for the damage
which it can cause in Honduran territory as taken into consideration and
etc.”
A more accurate translation of that portion of Article 1 would probably
be the following: “The representatives of the forces of the Government
of Nicaragua and of the Commandant General of Nueva Segovia, Colonel J.
A. Rossell, bind themselves to cause to be terminated from today on the
persecution of Sandinistas in the manner in which it has been carried
out on the Honduran-Nicaraguan border by American airplanes, taking into
account the damage which may be caused in Honduran territory, etc.”
The Department will be kept fully informed of any additional information
concerning the conference at Las Manos which may become available.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure]
The Commander of the Second Brigade, U. S. M.
C. (Williams), to the Chargé in
Nicaragua (Hanna)
My Dear Mr. Hanna: I have the honor to
acknowledge receipt of your communication of 29 May, 1929, which
requests more information concerning a conference participated in by
Captain George F. Stockes and others and the Honduran border patrol
commanders.
As stated before, the conference was held on April 6th at Las Manos,
and the object of such conference was to seek, without delay, ways
and means for better cooperation in eliminating banditry on the
border. At that time Salgado and Ortez were both in Honduras as a
result of very energetic operations conducted against them. When
they went across into Honduras our hands were of course tied and
recourse must be had to other means. With that end in view and in
order that no time be lost in securing permission from higher
authorities, the conference was arranged with the consent and
approval of Lieutenant-Colonel Rossell who was then in command of
the Northern Area.
It is believed that the military necessity and situation were such at
the time as to justify the holding of such a military
conference.
[Page 573]
At the conference Señor Henrique stated that it would be better to
use only ground troops as the principal complaint against airplanes
was the fright occasioned upon their approach. He also stated that
in the air attack of March 31 mentioned in previous correspondence,
that no one had been hurt.
At the conclusion of the conference there was turned over to Señor
Henrique a list of names of people in Honduras (near the border) who
had been aiding the bandits.
The agreement reported to have been entered into is as follows:
“Las Manos, Honduras-Nicaragua, on the 6th day of the month
of April, 1929, the undersigned, General Felipe T. Flores,
Expeditionary Chief of the Forces of the Government of
Nicaragua, Captain George Stockes, Representative of the
Commanding Officer of Nueva Segovia, and the Generals Juan
B. Mendoza and Jose A. Sanchez and the lawyer (attorney)
Jose B. Henriquez, in their capacity as Expeditionary Chiefs
the first two and the last as Jefe Director and
Expeditionary Delegate (for the Executive Power) have agreed
upon the following after the statements that each party made
to the other in order to clean up the border of Honduras and
Nicaragua in regard to bandits:
- 1st.
- The Representatives of the Forces of the
Government of Nicaragua and of the Commanding
Officer of Nueva Segovia, Colonel J. A. Rossell,
bind themselves to discontinue (stop) from this date
on the persecution of Sandinistas in the way it has
been done by the American Avions on the border of
Honduras and Nicaragua, because it is taken into
consideration the damages that they may cause on
Honduranian territory, on account of the good
relations of friendship cultivated (maintained) by
the Government of Honduras and Nicaragua and with
the Government of the United States of
America.
- 2nd.
- The expeditionary Chiefs of the Government of
Honduras hereby bind themselves to continue their
activity on the border or in Honduranian territory,
with the object of disarming Sandinistas, in order
to stop the intranquillity that they cause the
families that live on said border.
- 3rd.
- The two parties mentioned in number 1 and 2
aforesaid bind themselves to comply reciprocally the
contents of said numbers to accomplish the task of
tranquilizations (pacification) and to maintain the
Honduranian and Nicaraguan families in procuring
their individual safety and of their
property.”
Attention is invited to the fact that the Nicaraguan Government
forces were represented by the Expeditionary Chief of Volunteers,
Flores, and by the Guardia Nacional officer, Lieutenant Hamas.
It was necessary for Captain Stockes to act as a spokesman, as he was
the senior in command of all operations in that particular area.
In answer to a telegram sent by Senor Henrique in which he stated [Page 574] he appreciated the
opportunity for the meeting, Colonel Rossell sent the following
telegram to that official:
“To the Honorable Jose B. Henriquez, sub-secretary of
Gobernacion, Alauca, Honduras. Your kind telegram of this
date received at the moment General Flores, Captain Stockes
and Lieutenant Hamas marched into town. Already they have
told me how kind and attentive you and your associates were
at the conference. They assure me of your determination to
cooperate in all future movements to stamp out banditry and
to allow the citizens of both countries to enjoy the fruits
of their labor. I shall need your assistance in
exterminating Ortez either near Las Manos or in the region
of Malacate. Preliminary to this move I shall ask another
conference at the time and place which I shall communicate
later. All pledges made by Captain Stockes are fully
guaranteed by me. Very sincerely.”
The results of these informal meetings have been gratifying. Better
cooperation has been secured and banditry on the northern border is
no longer lucrative. Ortez is the only Jefe of any consequence in
that region.
Due to the fact that Captain Stockes is still absent on leave in the
United States I am unable to inform you definitely whether or not he
signed any agreement, but the information is such that there is
reason to believe that he did. However if Captain Stockes did sign
any agreement with Honduran authorities, such action on his part was
without any sanction of higher authority and he had no right to
exercise such authority on his own initiative. Such agreement, if it
was made and signed as reported, is therefore in no way binding upon
the Brigade Commander or officers acting under his orders.
With the reports previously given you, I hope this will give you the
necessary information requested in your letter.
With assurance [etc.]
