838.51/3497: Telegram
The Minister in Haiti (Mayer) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:25 p.m.]
131. Legation’s 130, November 29, 10 a.m. I have just seen Leger off on the plane to the United States. He called me over to the Foreign Office this morning to say that he had received his letter from Paris, which he did not show me, but which he said satisfied him that there was every probability that he could arrange the loan. He realized the personal risk he was taking but felt that there was justification for going. He would stop off at Washington to talk with the Department. I had the impression, however, that Leger is less certain about the loan, after receipt of the letter; that the matter of guarantees is still unsettled although Leger said he felt that this would work out all right.
I told Leger the substance of telegram No. 1666 of November 26, 4 p.m. from the Embassy in Paris to the Department.48 I said that this further information had come in and it seemed only proper that he should have everything we had on the subject, not with any idea whatsoever of obstructing the loan but merely to be helpful. Incidentally, Leger confirmed that the French Chargé d’Affaires had spoken to him recently pursuant to instructions from the Foreign Office in Paris and presumably along the line indicated in the Embassy’s telegram from Paris.
Leger said he entirely understood our position in the matter but was somewhat disturbed that our inquiries in Paris might get the matter noised about. I felt it necessary to remark at this juncture that as a matter of fact the object of his trip seemed to be rather generally [Page 560] known here. For example a private individual had volunteered to us several days ago not only news of the loan project and his trip but actually the names of the negotiators. For the Department’s strictly confidential information this Haitian claimed to have this direct from the President which I believe is correct. Furthermore, the British Minister yesterday told me that Leger himself had spoken to him recently about the loan and his trip to Paris.
All the inconsistencies and somewhat incredible circumstances surrounding the French loan negotiations inspire the feeling that we may not know the whole story either of the loan negotiations or of an ulterior motive which may also be involved. Indeed, British Minister indicated to me last night his feeling that Leger may be glad to escape from a political situation here in which he would not wish to be involved.