715.1715/582a: Telegram

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

26. On the occasion of your visit tomorrow to the Foreign Minister the Department desires you to repeat its gratification of the action taken by him to prevent an increase in the tension existing between Honduras and Nicaragua. The Minister’s highly statesmanlike attitude and action augur well for a solution of the present controversy.

[Page 72]

You may then state the hope of this Government to Dr. Lozano that now that mutually satisfactory steps have been taken with regard to troop movements to the frontier, both Governments will endeavor to find some means of settling in an equally satisfactory manner the immediate cause for the recent flaring up of the long-standing boundary dispute. You may say that your Government has been confidentially informed that the Government of Nicaragua would welcome an opportunity for a mutual withdrawal of the map stamps and other official printed insignia and considers that this might best be accomplished by an agreement arrived at between the two Governments and without publicity. The desirability of withdrawing the stamps gradually has been emphasized. You may inform the Minister that it would certainly redound to the reputation which his country has for peace if some such arrangement as that indicated or any other arrangement that is equally agreeable to the two Governments could be arrived at.

In concluding you may inform the Minister of the Department’s belief that some such action as above indicated would be highly beneficial and would in no wise prejudice the position of Honduras with respect to the existing controversy but on the contrary would give a new indication to the Western Hemisphere of Honduras’ intention to adhere to peaceful means in the settlement of international disputes. You should, of course, inform the Minister that these views of your Government are merely presented for his consideration and because of the lasting friendship of the United States for his country.

You may permit the Minister to read but not to retain a paraphrase of the present telegram which is being repeated to Managua.28

Hull
  1. Sent to Managua as Department’s telegram No. 56, September 8, 7 p.m.