611.1431/163
The Chargé in Guatemala (O’Donoghue) to the Secretary of State
No. 910
Guatemala, March 11, 1936.
[Received March
16.]
Sir: With reference to the Department’s
telegram No. 5 of February 13, 5 p.m.,8a in connection with the note concerning chicle
suggested in the Department’s telegram No. 36, of December 13, 2
p.m.,9 I have the
honor to transmit herewith a copy of a self-explanatory informal note
which I addressed to the Guatemalan Foreign Minister on February 17,
1936. Not having had any reply from the Minister, I mentioned the matter
to him in a conversation recently and asked him if such a note would be
agreeable to Guatemala. He seemed somewhat vague concerning it and
indicated that so long as the question of chicle could not be included
in the Trade Agreement, the matter might be allowed to lapse. This new
attitude, if it may be so called, upon his part may have been brought
about by recent British Honduras regulations governing chicle.
Respectfully yours,
[Enclosure]
The American Chargé (O’Donoghue) to the Guatemalan Minister for Foreign
Affairs (Skinner
Klee)
Guatemala, February 17, 1936.
My Dear Mr. Minister: As Your Excellency
will doubtless recall, on or about December fourteen Mr. Hanna had
one or more conversations with you concerning the assistance of the
United States in preventing illicit trade in chicle. If I recall
correctly, Mr. Hanna showed you a copy of a note, or at least
suggested the type of note which the Legation could submit to Your
Excellency in this respect.
[Page 592]
May I, therefore, venture to inquire if the following note will
be acceptable to Your Excellency:
“The Government of the United States is aware of the
difficulties which the Government of Guatemala is
experiencing in controlling the export of crude chicle and
is desirous of cooperating within the limits of its
authority with the Government of Guatemala in preventing
chicle illegally exported from Guatemala from entering the
United States as chicle originating in third countries. The
Government of the United States accordingly assures the
Government of Guatemala that it will give most careful and
sympathetic study to any proposal designed to assist in
accomplishing the foregoing purpose”.
If the foregoing is agreeable to Your Excellency, I shall be glad to
draw up an official communication textually the same as above for
submission to Your Excellency’s Government.
With warm personal regards [etc.]
