838.51/3399: Telegram

The Chargé in Haiti (Finley) to the Secretary of State

51. My 50, July 27, 1 p.m. Leger, who had failed to send for me yesterday, told me last evening when I met him casually that he had talked with the French Minister to Haiti on July 28 and had told him that he no longer feels bound, even morally, to pay the French 1910 bondholders the 10 million francs he had tentatively offered them as a settlement. Monsieur de Lens begged Leger, the latter said, to hold the question open until he could obtain additional instructions from his Government. The Foreign Minister stated that he replied that while he would always be willing to listen to what the French Government wished to say, the Haitian Government had recovered entire freedom of action in this matter. De la Rue89 states that Leger made the same assertions to him.

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Leger again expressed his appreciation of the efforts that are being made by our Embassy at Paris and said that he was more optimistic since Duggan had told Lescot that Delbos expected to go personally into the Haitian question.

Finley
  1. Sidney de la Rue, Fiscal Representative.