817.812/771
The Under Secretary of State ( Welles ) to the Minister in Nicaragua ( Nicholson )
My Dear Mr. Nicholson: I have received your letter of January 14, 1939 with respect to the projected visit of President Somoza to Washington. The President has indicated that he would be very happy to receive President Somoza as his guest at the White House on May 5, and the Nicaraguan Minister has been so informed. The Protocol Division will prepare the program for the visit in collaboration with Dr. Léon De Bayle. Until the visit is announced officially, please consider this information as strictly confidential.
It is understood that President Somoza hopes to obtain the assistance of this Government in the project for the canalization of the San Juan River as an alternative to the construction of the Interoceanic Canal through Nicaragua. As you probably know, two resolutions have been introduced into Congress providing for the construction of the Nicaraguan Canal, but obviously there is no assurance that favorable action on these resolutions will be forthcoming. Every effort [Page 723] will be made prior to President Somoza’s arrival here to determine what action, if any, it will be possible to take in response to the request which has been made by the Nicaraguan Government for assistance in the canalization of the San Juan River. Here again it is of course impossible to forecast at this moment the nature of the conclusions which will be reached.
In view of the uncertainties surrounding this situation, it is greatly to be hoped that the Nicaraguan Government will not publicly interpret our concurrence in the visit of President Somoza as an indication that favorable action on either the construction of the Nicaraguan Canal or the canalization of the San Juan River will be taken. If you have occasion to discuss his visit with President Somoza I think that it would be very desirable to suggest to him informally that the greatest reserve on these questions should be maintained.
With my cordial best wishes, I am,
Sincerely yours,