Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1933, The American Republics, Volume V

838.51/2740

Memorandum by Mr. Donald R. Heath of the Division of Latin American Affairs

[Washington,] November 22, 1933.

M. Blanchet, formerly Haitian Minister of Foreign Affairs and just appointed Haitian Minister in Washington, phoned me Tuesday evening about eight o’clock and asked if he could see me at the Legation.

At the Haitian Legation M. Blanchet informed me that upon his arrival Monday Nov. 20 in New York, the Haitian Consul General had handed him a telegram from President Vincent reading, in translation, as follows:

“Tell Blanchet absolutely urgent transmit letter by tomorrow.”

M. Blanchet stated that this referred to a personal letter from President Vincent of Haiti to the President⁷² on the subject of the Haitian-American Agreement of August 7, 1933. He asked, in view of President Vincent’s urgent instructions, whether I would not accept the letter at once for transmittal. He stated that before he could officially present the letter to the Department for transmittal it would be necessary for him to write a note announcing his appointment as Haitian Minister and make an official call, etc., which would entail delay, and that he would like to return to New York the same evening. After consultation with Mr. McGurk, Assistant Chief of the Latin American Division, I accepted the letter for transmittal and promised that M. Blanchet’s observations would be communicated to the Acting Secretary.

M. Blanchet then handed me a copy of the letter for the Department’s files and stated that in the opinion of President Vincent and himself it was important, not only as regards Haitian-American relations but as regards relations of the United States with other Latin American countries, that this letter and a reply from President Roosevelt should be made public before the opening of the Pan American Conference at Montevideo.⁷³ He stated that, in his opinion, publication of the letter and reply would have a favorable effect on the atmosphere of the Montevideo Conference. He said that he did not anticipate that President Roosevelt would be able to make an immediate thorough investigation of the situation, but that his Government hoped to receive a prompt and cordial acknowledgement stating that President Roosevelt would look into the matter to see what could properly be done to meet the desires of President Vincent.

D[onald] R. H[eath]

72. Supra.
73. For correspondence regarding the Seventh International Conference of American States, held at Montevideo, December 3–26, 1933, see vol. iv, pp. 1 ff.