838.51/2565
The Minister in Haiti (Armour) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 3.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a memorandum of a conversation39 which I had on Thursday November 24, last, with the President of the Republic.
I called at the Palace at M. Vincent’s request and the talk took place in his private office, no other official being present.
As this is the first time that the President has really discussed at any length the Treaty of September 3, or given any indication as to what, if anything, he proposes to do next with a view to securing ratification of the Treaty, I felt that a somewhat detailed account of the conversation might be of interest to the Department.
In telling the President that I would be willing to consider certain changes in form or clarification in phraseology in the Treaty, that [he?] might propose, provided that such changes did not affect the substance, I had in mind the Department’s instructions particularly as set forth in instruction No. 1 of October 26, 1932, pages six and seven.
I should not wish, however, to give the Department the impression that I feel at all optimistic as to this first “feeler” on the part of the President leading to very much. From the way M. Vincent spoke, I am inclined to believe that such new proposals as he may make with regard [Page 697] to changes in Protocol B will probably follow the general lines set forth in the penultimate paragraph of the Haitian Government’s note addressed to the Legation under date of September 26, last. Although it is true that the Legation’s note of October 7, pointed out to the Haitian Government that we felt that Protocol B of the new Treaty negotiated in accord with the Haitian Government constituted such an agreement as suggested by M. Blanchet in his note of September 26, 1932, nevertheless, the President seems to refuse to take no for an answer. He made it plain that it was in Protocol B that opposition to the Treaty centered, and that Protocol A was—with certain minor changes in form—acceptable.
I shall not fail to notify the Department as soon as I receive such new proposals as the President may decide to make.
However, I do not believe that this will be for some little time, for when I saw the President for a moment yesterday, he told me that he did not expect to be able to submit anything for my consideration until after his return from Aux Cayes about the middle of December. As I consider it important that the Haitian Government should not receive the impression that we are unduly exercised over this matter, or over desirous of securing immediate action on the Treaty, I shall not raise the question again, for the present, unless instructed to do so.
Respectfully yours,
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