816.01/195

The Chargé in El Salvador (McCafferty) to the Secretary of State

No. 113

Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s confidential instruction of May 24, 1932,23 transmitting a copy of a memorandum of a conversation held on May 19, 1932 between the British Ambassador in Washington and Assistant Secretary of State White with respect to recognition of the de facto régime in El Salvador.

On various occasions I have endeavored to convince the British Chargé d’Affaires here that the de facto Government cannot be stable and firmly established while the recognition of the other Central American Governments and the United States is withheld. He expresses the opinion, however, that the de facto régime is popular, stable and organized according to the Constitution. He has also mentioned several times what he considers the inconsistent position of our governments in withholding recognition and at the same time maintaining diplomatic and consular representatives in El Salvador. From my conversations with him, he does not seem to feel that there is any reason why the British Government should cooperate with the United States in its endeavor to prevent revolutions in Central America.

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

I sincerely hope that the Department may be able to have the British Government withhold recognition for a longer period because [Page 602] some other European countries like France, Belgium and Spain may take similar action and it will only serve to encourage General Martínez to stay in office indefinitely and make him and his Minister of Foreign Affairs more defiant in their attitude towards the other Central American countries and the United States.

Respectfully yours,

W. J. McCafferty
  1. Not printed.