738.39/328
The Minister in the Dominican Republic (Norweb) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 28.]
Sir: I have the honor to confirm my telegram No. 14 of 11 a.m.23 this morning, informing the Department that the Dominican Government proposes to pay the first installment of $250,000 on the indemnity to Haiti at Port-au-Prince on Saturday February 26.
Following the refusal of the home office of the National City Bank of New York to approve the request for a loan made by the Dominican Government last week, as outlined in my despatch No. 203 of February 17,23 President Trujillo transferred $250,000 from his checking account in the local branch of the National City Bank to…the Sociedad Bancaria, which in turn purchased a draft on New York in the amount of the indemnity, payable to the order of the Haitian Government. The Foreign Minister informed me this morning that the draft will go by air mail at once to Port-au-Prince and will be delivered by the Dominican Minister there on Saturday morning.
With this monetary fulfillment of the provisions of the Protocol of Settlement of January 31, I am pleased to report that the Dominican Government is also carrying out the other provisions of that treaty. I enclose with this despatch a copy, with translation, of a hand bill which is now being circulated among Dominican residents on the Haitian frontier over the signature of President Trujillo. This proclamation strictly enjoins Dominican residents to refrain from disputes with persons of Haitian nationality and to have recourse to judicial tribunals instead of direct action in the event of trouble. Inhabitants of the border regions are informed by this public notice that the Dominican Government will enforce by every means in its power its resolve to prevent the illegal entry of Haitian nationals into Dominican territory and the penetration of Dominican nationals into Haitian territory.
With the prompt carrying into effect of the provisions of the Protocol of Settlement of January 31, it is my feeling that peace will for a time prevail on the Haitian-Dominican frontier.
Respectfully yours,