838.51/2999: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Haiti (Gordon)
48. Department has received following telegram from the Embassy at Paris:
“(Here quote No. 794, September 17, 6 p.m., from the Paris Embassy67)”
Please call on President Vincent and say to him that your Government has reliable information to the effect that French contractors are taking interest in the new loan contract solely as a public works construction project, evidently believing that the entire amount of 500,000,000 francs will be devoted to public works and without apparent understanding of the necessity of prior refunding of the 1922 loan. This being the case, and in order to avoid any misunderstanding which later might prove extremely embarrassing, it appears essential that the Haitian Government advise the French Government at once of the fact that the 1922 loan, of which approximately $11,000,000 are outstanding, will be refunded from the first proceeds of the new loan. Please ask President Vincent to take this action, saying at the same time that we, of course, assume that he will have no objection if we advise our Embassy in Paris of this fact in order that the Embassy may be in a position to answer intelligently inquiries made of it in this matter.
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