882.00/844: Telegram
The Chargé in Liberia (Reber) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 22—5:35 p.m.]
125. The Financial Adviser, John Loomis, conferring with President King on September 17 and 20, was able to propose a complete and thorough reform campaign. The program was worked out carefully by Loomis before he detailed it to the President, and it conforms in general with the proposed reforms sent September 18 by radio from Harvey Firestone to his representative here, Hines.
The main provisions are:
- 1.
- Reform in fiscal matters;
- 2.
- Establishing an effective sanitary program and extending the memorandum agreement of 1929;32a
- 3.
- Reform of administration of the interior;
- 4.
- Other financial matters;
- 5.
- Appointing a commission to reform the judicial procedure;
- 6.
- Reorganizing the frontier force under Colonel Lewis’ command;
- 7.
- Proclaiming the hinterland districts opened to commerce;
- 8.
- Appointing a foreign expert to be chief of the agricultural bureau.
Loomis reports also that President King has agreed to reply to the alleged breaches of the 1926 loan agreement in a form satisfying the Financial Adviser.33 There was also discussed the possibility of requesting the United States Government’s advice and aid in furthering this reform program and of assuring the Government of the United States and other nations that the Liberian Government would accept and adopt the International Commission’s recommendations and suggestions, and President King appeared ready to do this. The President expressed his hope to Loomis that such or similar reforms might be accomplished before it might appear that pressure from outside sources, resulting from the report of the Commission, had forced him to act, thereby losing an opportunity to vindicate his own name and standing. I am told by Loomis that he believes the President will agree to put this program into effect; but President King is expected to meet with tremendous opposition from almost all other political factions and may try later to repudiate his stand. Loomis will endeavor on September 24 to obtain President King’s confirmation of all the points agreed upon.
- See telegram No. 37, October 8, 1929, to the Chargé in Liberia, Foreign Relations, 1929, vol. iii, p. 324.↩
- See pp. 394 ff.↩