Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1937, The American Republics, Volume V

838.51/3284: Telegram

The Minister in Haiti (Gordon) to the Secretary of State

Port-au-Prince, March 4, 1937—noon.
[Received 2:15 p.m.]

4. My despatch No. 426 of February 25² and enclosures. Leger³ stated this morning that last week President Vincent received a letter from Darnet⁴ in New York stating that Schroder⁵ is still actively interested in a loan of the nature outlined in the said enclosures and was this week sending a representative to Washington to ascertain the Department’s attitude toward such loan so that he (Darnet) hoped to Send Vincent something more definite on or before March 6.

Leger said that if such a refunding loan could be arranged there is no use going on with the protocol negotiations but that if this proposal again came to naught he intended to proceed actively with negotiations for the protocol and for the consummation of the Eberstadt⁶ 5 million dollar public works loan.

If a Schroder representative is in fact in touch with the Department this week I trust that it may be found feasible to improve the opportunity to preclude the possibility referred to in the penultimate sentence of my despatch under reference.⁷

It is also to be noted that up to date Darnet has made no serious mention of contractual guarantees for the proposed loan. If in communication with the Schroder representative the Department can elicit anything concrete concerning such contractual guarantees I should appreciate being informed thereof either by cable or by open air mail.

Gordon

2. Not printed.
3. Georges Leger, Haitian Minister for Foreign Affairs.
4. Pierre Darnet, representative of a group of bankers.
5. J. Henry Schroder Banking Corporation of New York.
6. Ferdinand Eberstadt, of F. Eberstadt & Company of New York.
7. i. e., that funding loan proposals would open up the possibility of considerable further delay in negotiations for protocol regarding termination of financial control.