838.20/19: Telegram
The Chargé in Haiti (Finley) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1:35 p.m.]
94. Leger sent for me this morning and said that the anxiety which the Haitian Government felt concerning the continued truculence of President Trujillo and the fear that some border incident might occur had convinced the President that he should ask for an American military mission without delay. The President expects to announce this intention on Garde Day, August 1, Leger will confirm this in a note to be dated August 2, the text of which he will show me in advance. He stated that his purpose in calling me in this morning was to give us notice of their intention so that the mission might come at the earliest possible date. He felt that an incident on the border might make it difficult from a political viewpoint both here and in the United States to send the mission.
[Page 648]Leger stated that they would invite in the first instance three officers. One would be asked to review the armaments of the Garde with a view to replenishing equipment within the limited means at Haiti’s disposal. One would be asked to supervise the reopening of an officers school. They were now about thirty officers short as a result of the recent court martials and separations. One would be an adviser to the Commandant and would be asked to prepare plans, et cetera, for any emergencies that might be requested if their services were found necessary. For the moment, he thought three would be enough and the President wished particularly to avoid local criticism to the effect that the Americans had taken charge of Garde again.
With respect to the question as to whether the mission should be from the Marines or from the Army, Leger stated that this was a matter of complete indifference to the Haitian Government—that one would be as satisfactory as the other, and that he understood that questions of policy might lead us to prefer one over the other. The important thing was that the mission should come very soon.