811.4061 March of Time/17
The Secretary of State to the Dominican Minister ( Pastoriza )
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your recent note by which you state that a film of “The March of Time” is now being exhibited “devoted exclusively to attacking the personality of President Trujillo Molina in a disrespectful and unjust manner and to giving a completely false impression of the Dominican nation and the political situation prevailing therein.” You express your profound displeasure over the “improper manner in which certain American journalists, in a strange alliance with Dominican revolutionaries residing here, are devoting themselves to the task of defaming with impunity a friendly ruler and a country which has always striven to maintain relations of sincere cordiality with the United States and to perform, despite business depressions and unjustifiable hostilities, the duties of friendship imposed by the actualities of geographic vicinity and the spirit of true internationalism.” In conclusion you state that “it is the wish of this Legation that the Department of State, basing itself so much on your cordial formulas and spirit of conciliation, can find a way to keep the attacks from being repeated which are being made systematically and in a community of petty interests against President Trujillo and the Dominican people.”
There is no one more than I who deprecates the publication of any article or the exhibition of any film which causes offense to any foreign government. It is the policy of this Government to strengthen friendlyties [Page 481] between this and other countries and to that end this Government is conducting its foreign relations on a basis of complete respect for the rights and sensibilities of other nations. My Government, therefore, deplores any actions of private citizens that are in discord with this policy and that cause offense to the peoples of other countries. Such actions sometimes occur, however, for the reason that in this country, unlike many other countries, freedom of speech and of the press is deeply imbedded in our tradition; is cherished by every citizen as part of the national heritage; and is guaranteed under our Constitution.
Although appreciating your desire to prevent any occurrences which might reflect upon your country’s name I am sure you understand that for the reasons just expressed this Government is not in a position to prevent the matters complained of by you. I can only repeat that I shall deeply regret any such occurrences that might reflect upon the cordial ties of friendship that unite the people of our two countries, particularly since it is likely that representatives of the republics of this hemisphere will soon be meeting in a common effort to promote the maintenance of peace and of friendly relations on this hemisphere.
Accept [etc.]