893.01 Manchuria/1114
The Minister in El Salvador (Corrigan) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 9.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that in reply to a notification on the part of the Emperor of Manchukuo that he had assumed the throne of that country on March 1, 1934, the Government of El Salvador sent a communication in reply dated March 3rd granting its recognition to that Government.
The Salvadoran Minister of Foreign Affairs on May 21st in an interview to the local press explained that this recognition had been conceded in a spirit of international friendship and fraternity because the Government of Manchukuo had become firmly established and that it was filling all the requirements of international law for recognition.
The San Salvador press later published news despatches alleged to have come from Geneva stating that the League of Nations was considering the expulsion of El Salvador from membership in that organization because of its action in recognizing the administration of Emperor Pu Yi. While the Salvadoran Foreign Minister stated that this rumor was unfounded, he said that El Salvador had acted within its rights as a sovereign nation and in the interests of better relations among the peoples of the world.
Several of the local dailies took advantage of the alleged intention of the League of Nations to expel El Salvador, to strongly criticize it as a useless and ineffective body and recommended that this country withdraw from membership on the ground that it was expending money for an unnecessary luxury which might involve El Salvador in international difficulties.
This Republic is apparently the first Latin American State to recognize the new Manchurian Government. I might remark confidentially that this hasty action was undoubtedly prompted in some degree by the fact that the present administration had been deprived of recognition [Page 195] for a long period of time by the other Central American countries and the United States.
Respectfully yours,