611.1831/139: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Costa Rica (Collins)
58. Your 75 November 20 midnight not received until 1:45 this afternoon, thus precluding the orderly consideration essential to definite commitment until Trade Agreements Committee meets Monday morning. If, however, you consider it essential we are prepared to consider the negotiations closed on the basis of 55 centimos for lard with liquor concessions abandoned and anticipate no difficulty in obtaining final approval on that basis although we cannot definitely so indicate in advance of Trade Agreements Committee meeting Monday morning.
While we find it difficult to believe that if Costa Rica’s desire to cooperate with the Secretary’s program is genuine a personal feud can be allowed to break down the negotiations at this stage, we nevertheless see no objection to a statement by the Costa Rican Government that substantial agreement has been reached and that signature is expected in the very near future, thus providing a felicitous augury for the international conference about to open at Buenos Aires.27 We feel, however, that it would be embarrassing and in principle undesirable to give out any specific rate prior to signature of the agreement.
[The Reciprocal Trade Agreement between the United States and Costa Rica was signed at San José, November 28, 1936; proclaimed by the President of the United States, July 3, 1937; effective August 2, 1937. For text, see Executive Agreement Series No. 102, or 50 Stat. 1582.]