882.20/436: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Liberia (Walton)
8. Your 14, March 15, 3 p.m. and your 16, undated [March 20, 2 p.m.]. The following observations are made with respect to the aide-mémoire recently handed you by the Liberian Secretary of State, the date of which is not indicated:
1. The Department does not appear to have received the text of the note stated to have been delivered to you on October 10, 1938 which, as in the case of all similar communications exchanged between the Legation and the Liberian Government, should be transmitted at once to the Department. It is assumed, however, that the substance thereof was embodied in your telegram no. 77 of October 115 reporting in a general manner the apprehensions of the Liberian Government regarding German colonial aspirations, to which the Department replied in its telegram no. 52 of October 156 that it had no specific information on the subject but would be glad to communicate to the Liberian Government any developments that might come to its attention. No basis is perceived in this or in any other communication for the statement now attributed to you by the Secretary of State that your Government, at the time, felt “that no justification existed” for the apprehension entertained by the Liberian Government.
[Page 562]2. With respect to the Liberian Government’s request for advice as to the best method of insuring its national defense, the situation in Europe has changed so materially since the Department’s telegram no. 57 of November 11, 3 p.m.,7 that the Government of the United States would not feel warranted in advising Liberia against entertaining a proposal, such as now appears to have been advanced orally and informally by the French Chargé d’Affaires, looking toward the formulation of plans and measures of a purely defensive character by the Governments of Liberia, Great Britain and France. It seems probable that the geographical and strategical position of Liberia in relation to the British and French West African colonies, as described in the aide-mémoire, may make the protection of the Liberian coastline of particular interest to the British and French Governments and that a correlation of defenses might seem to those two Governments a logical step by reason of existing bases in the colonies of Sierra Leone and the Ivory Coast.
While the Department would appreciate being kept informed as to the progress of any discussions which may take place on the basis of the oral suggestion reported to have been made by the French Chargé d’Affaires, it should be made clear to the Liberian authorities that the employment by Liberia of the United States as an intermediary would seem to be neither necessary nor appropriate. However, the Department would, if approached, be glad to give assurances to the British and French Governments that it has no objection to any arrangement that may be entered into by the three Governments concerned for the defensive assistance of Liberia.
3. It is observed that contrary to the impression conveyed by your telegram no. 14 of March 15, 3 p.m., no mention is made in the text of the aide-mémoire to the effect that the Liberian Government would “welcome the establishment by the United States of air and naval bases within its borders” nor does the Department appear to have been previously informed of President Barclay’s statement allegedly favoring such a proposal, as referred to in your undated telegram no. 16. In this connection the Department wishes it to be clearly understood that even if a formal indication should be received from the Liberian Government that it would, in fact, welcome the establishment of American air or naval bases in Liberian territory, it would not be possible for this Government to give consideration to such a proposal.