882.01 Foreign Control/288a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Liberia (Mitchell)
39. Since the American Government considers the Liberian situation essentially an international problem and since we are now cooperating with the League in endeavoring to bring about a solution, it would naturally be altogether out of the question for us to enter upon or discuss any direct negotiations with Liberia (such as suggested by Barclay and reported in your telegrams No. 53, April 29, 9 p.m.,56 and No. 59, May 26, 11 p.m.) To do so would expose our action to misinterpretation and might serve to undermine the efforts, in which we ourselves are participating, to achieve a just and lasting solution through international means.
Moreover, we believe that the Americo-Liberian administration has brought the present difficulties upon itself by its own ineptitude, by its own indifference to its responsibility to the country as such and to the native peoples therein whom it has abused and exploited, and by its refusal to take advantage of the counsel of the American advisers.
We have been led inescapably to the conclusion that no improvement can be anticipated unless a plan of assistance is predicated upon [Page 739] the delegation by Liberia over a period of years of ample and adequate authority both administrative and executive to enable an international Commissioner Generalship (or whatever it may be called) to function without interference. No arguments about “sovereignty” or “independence” can obscure this basic requisite; moreover, as we have already pointed out in our memorandum submitted to the International Committee,57 we are striving for the adoption of a practical program which would secure for the Liberian people, both Americo-Liberian and native, precisely that sovereignty and independence about which there has been so much irrelevant discussion.
Bearing the foregoing in mind, we believe that perhaps it might be possible for you to contribute something toward indicating an exit for Liberia from the present situation, should you desire to do so, entirely upon your own responsibility, through seeking a frank, informal and unofficial conversation with Barclay upon somewhat the following lines:
- 1.
- You could say to him that a state of national emergency exists. The Liberian administration should recognize this emergency and to meet it the legislature should immediately empower Barclay to request the League of Nations to appoint one properly qualified foreigner as “Commissioner General”, to whom, for a definite term of years and under appropriate guarantees from the League, Liberia would delegate authority and control, administrative and executive, for him to effect the reorganization and rehabilitation of the country, taking as a basis the administrative recommendations of the experts and putting them into effect progressively on a self-supporting schedule, as conditions improved.
- 2.
- If Barclay should wish to make this proposal to the League contingent upon the appointment by the League of an American citizen as “Commissioner General” you might desire to add that you would, upon your own responsibility, undertake urgently to recommend to your Government that it support such an arrangement and that, when this arrangement entered into operation, your Government use its good offices with the Finance Corporation to obtain certain adjustments regarding the loan contract.
- 3.
- You might say that you believe that the alternative will be a deadlock between Liberia and the League, leading to independent action toward Liberia by one or another of the powers whose interests in Africa cannot fail to be affected by the continual disorders, social disintegration and health menace provided by Liberia in its present condition. In view of the indifference shown by Liberia toward American efforts to be of assistance in recent years and widely published reports of intolerable conditions there, you believe that such independent action, if taken, might not be opposed by American public opinion. In the circumstances therefore, and assuming that Liberia would desire to have American participation on the single [Page 740] basis which you think might be acceptable to your Government (namely, participation jointly with other powers, under the auspices of the League) you are having this personal talk with Barclay in an effort to indicate a solution which you sincerely believe would be to the best interests of the Liberian people.
- 4.
- Finally, should Barclay be empowered by the Legislature to solicit a League Commissioner Generalship to be administered by an American citizen with completely adequate powers and authority, you are of the opinion that the decision should be taken at once, or you fear that it will be too late.
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No memorandum or other record should be left by you. If your Secretary has any knowledge of this message, you should warn him that he must say nothing about it to anyone.
We may be wrong as to our analysis of the Liberian apprehension created by the knowledge of the impending arrival of Mackenzie. If your estimate of the situation indicates that a conversation with Barclay as outlined above would be unproductive, you should of course do nothing until you have explained your views to the Department by telegraph.