817.812/915
The Minister in Costa Rica (Hornibrook) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 19.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to my despatch No. 995 of December 4, 1939,28 and to report as follows:
[Page 745]On December 8, Dr. Cordero Reyes, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua, and Mr. Mena Solórzano, Minister to Costa Rica from the same country, called for the purpose of requesting me to expedite the delivery of the report of Colonel Gross as to the proposed work on the Costa Rican side of the project.
Dr. Reyes pointed out at this conversation that in the viewpoint of his own country it is unimportant to receive the report of the proposed work on the Nicaraguan side at this time, but that it is highly important to satisfy Costa Rica as to just what damage, if any, may be caused to Costa Rican territory. He stated that in his opinion, if the State Department made the suggestion, it would be quite possible the War Department might instruct Colonel Gross to confine his present work to a study of the Costa Rican side and submit the same as an independent document at a very early date to his superior officers and this partial report could be promptly submitted to the Costa Rican Foreign Office and thus speed up the signing of the treaty. He again expressed the fear that in the event President Roosevelt concluded to decline a third term his successor in office might not be as friendly to the project and therefore felt that it should be pushed through before the expiration of his term of office.
During the course of the conversation Dr. Reyes stated that he had intended to leave the early part of the same week, but Mr. Martinez, the President’s private secretary, had called upon him and requested that he remain in San José until the President returned from Punt-arenas for the purpose of holding another conference on the treaty negotiations. This, Dr. Reyes, stated he agreed to do, but up until the date of the conversation he had received no summons to confer with either the President or the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
He also stated that he had conferred by long distance telephone with the Nicaraguan Minister to Washington as to the Castro Beeche cablegram in which Undersecretary Sumner Welles was quoted as saying that the latter was in accord with the Costa Rican viewpoint with respect to postponing final action until after the report of Colonel Gross had been received in San José. He asserted that his Minister had assured him that he was certain Mr. Castro Beeche had not properly explained the Nicaraguan viewpoint as to the alleged thirty days ultimatum, and that this accounted for any statements which might have been made by Secretary Welles on the date of the interview. He explained again that he had sent no ultimatum to the Costa Rican Government, but that he had referred to a section in the treaty of 185829 wherein Nicaragua obtained the legal right to commence work on the proposed canal upon thirty days notice, and that his country is prepared to pay the damages, if any, which might be suffered [Page 746] by Costa Rica in the event that this clause should be invoked by Nicaragua.
On December 11 Dr. Cordero Reyes and the Nicaraguan Minister again called by appointment. Both of them were manifestly depressed and somewhat disillusioned. Dr. Reyes stated that he had been recalled from his mission by President Somoza and intended to leave by air for Managua on the following morning. He asserted that despite the assurances given by the President’s private secretary to the effect President Cortés desired to receive him for the purpose of consulting again in regard to the proposed treaty, no call for such consultation had been received nor had he been asked to consult with the Costa Rican Minister for Foreign Affairs during the past week. He stated that both President Somoza and himself regarded this as a discourtesy to their Government, and the latter was manifestly displeased with his treatment by Costa Rican officials since the date of his arrival.
Dr. Cordero Reyes stated he felt it of very great importance to the success of the negotiations that Colonel Gross speed up his report on the project insofar as the same might effect Costa Rican interests and if he requested the State Department to expedite the matter to the end that he might return to San José and resume the negotiations. He added that without a report as to the Costa Rican side of the border he felt it would be futile to continue the conversations further with this Government.
Neither Dr. Cordero Reyes or the Nicaraguan Minister have any ill feeling towards our own Government. On the contrary they are most friendly, but they are both rather bitter as to the present attitude of Costa Rica. The latter has made one or two unfortunate statements which I am inclined to believe have reached the ears of local government officials and have not tended to promote an early settlement of the treaty negotiations.
Both Dr. Cordero Reyes and the Minister stated on one or two occasions that in the event Costa Rica did not see fit to sign the proposed treaty their Government proposed to proceed under the treaty of 1858, and the Cleveland award. In other words, that they would build the barge canal and pay Costa Rica such damages as might be found just and equitable, presumably to be determined by arbitration.
While Dr. Cordero Reyes did not say so in so many words I gathered from his conversation that President Somoza is bitter in his remarks about President Cortes and his treatment of his Foreign Minister during the period of the negotiations. The recall of Dr. Cordero Reyes appears to confirm the intimation that I received on this subject during our conversation.
Despite the fact that both President Cortés and Dr. Calderón Guardia, the latter almost certain to succeed as President, have privately stated they approve of the treaty, political considerations on [Page 747] the eve of the approaching election have made it rather hazardous for them to proceed with the negotiations, at least until such time as the report of Colonel Gross confirms the statement of Dr. Cordero Reyes that the material interests of Costa Rica will not be adversely affected.
Respectfully yours,
[A treaty between Costa Rica and Nicaragua regarding the canalization of the San Juan River was signed April 5, 1940. In a letter of January 31, 1941 (817.812/993), the Secretary of War informed the Under Secretary of State that after work for the report of the Corps of Engineers on this project had been completed in December 1940, he had reported the facts to President Roosevelt at a Cabinet meeting. The President then said he no longer desired the completion of the report. The project was indefinitely postponed, apparently because of the excessive cost and lack of sufficient economic or political advantages.]