815.00 Revolutions/491: Telegram

The Minister in Honduras (Keena) to the Secretary of State

36. Referring to my telegram No. 35 dated April 2, 4 p.m.12 Minister for Foreign Affairs reports information from Mexico that the yacht Adventuress and the pilot boat [S]tormalong both under the American flag and manned by Americans sailed yesterday from Puerto Mexico with Honduran revolutionists and arms and munitions. The Minister for Foreign Affairs says it is the Government’s intention to use airplanes to attack these boats to prevent a landing in Honduras. I advised him that the Government of the United States would in no way countenance the employment of American vessels or citizens in gun-running or revolutionary activities and would do whatever might be possible to prevent participation by American vessels or citizens in those activities; that in relation to the internal political affairs of Honduras the Government of the United States desired to remain entirely neutral and in the preservation of that neutrality, I suggested that it would be highly desirable American aviators should not be used in any military operations. The Minister for Foreign Affairs stated in reply that it would not be necessary to employ American aviators in their military operations as the Government had national army and other aviators available for that service.

As the Honduran Minister in Washington will be approaching the Department in relation to this revolutionary expedition, I suggest that the Department take occasion to express the Government’s decided preference that no American citizens should be employed in military air operations.

Keena
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