862.857/131: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Panama (Dawson)
33. Following informal discussion, the Dominican Foreign Secretary has agreed with the Department that the Hannover incident should be dealt with by the American republics along the following lines:
- 1.
- A joint statement to be forwarded to the Government of the Dominican Republic by the Government of Panama on behalf of the other American republics, acknowledging that Government’s report of the incident and expressing support of the position of the Dominican Government to the effect that the Security Zone has been violated.
- 2.
- A communication to be forwarded by the President of Panama on behalf of the 21 American republics to the British and German Governments bringing the incident to their attention and reserving the rights of the American republics in the premises.
- 3.
- The Government of Panama to refer the matter to the Inter-American Neutrality Committee at Rio, whose competence to deal with the problem is now recognized.
Please bring these views to the attention of Dr. Garay. The Department has prepared tentative drafts of the three statements described above as follows:
“(1) From the President of Panama to the President of the Dominican Republic.
I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that your note of March 11 reporting the sinking of the German merchant vessel Hannover near the eastern coast of the Dominican Republic has been transmitted to the governments of the other American republics and has received the careful consideration of those governments.
It gives me pleasure, on behalf of the 21 American republics, to express cordial appreciation of the prompt action of the Dominican Government in reporting this incident. The action of Your Excellency’s Government is one more indication of the determination of the nations of the American continent to face together the problems brought about by the European war.
The American republics have authorized me to express to Your Excellency their complete agreement with the position taken by the Dominican Government in the sense that the Hannover incident was a violation of the right set forth in the Declaration of Panama. A statement to this effect is being addressed to the British and German Governments and at the same time the attention of the Inter-American Neutrality Committee is being directed to this case.
(2) A note to the British and German Governments.
The Government of the Dominican Republic has informed the other American republics that on March 12, near the eastern coast of the Dominican Republic, the German merchant vessel Hannover was scuttled by its own crew on being intercepted by a British war vessel obviously for purposes of search and capture.
This incident is considered by the governments of the 21 American republics to be a violation of the inherent right asserted on behalf of those republics in the Declaration of Panama which was communicated to the Governments of Great Britain, France and Germany on October 4, 1939. At the same time that the American republics have authorized me to express their regret at the failure of the belligerent governments to observe the terms of the Declaration, they reiterate the principle therein set forth and reserve all their rights in the premises.
(3) From the President of Panama to the President of the Inter-American Neutrality Committee.
On March 2, 1940 a communication was addressed to Your Excellency by the Director General of the Pan American Union transmitting the affirmative answer of the 21 American republics to the inquiry propounded by the Inter-American Neutrality Committee as [Page 716] to the competence of that Committee to deal with problems arising from the Declaration of Panama.
Since the date mentioned, a number of hostile acts have taken place within the security zone established in the Declaration. I have been instructed to transmit to Your Excellency the following documents relating to the sinking by its own crew of the German merchant vessel Hannover near the eastern coast of the Dominican Republic on being intercepted by a British war vessel obviously for purposes of search and capture:
- (1)
- A telegram from the Dominican Government to the Government of Panama, dated March 11, 1940, reporting the incident.
- (2)
- A telegram from the President of Panama to the President of the Dominican Republic on behalf of the American republics.
- (3)
- A telegram from the President of Panama on behalf of the American republics to the King of Great Britain and to the Chancellor of the German Reich.”
These drafts are being telegraphed to the Dominican Government with the request that approval or comments be forwarded directly to Dr. Garay. The Department hopes that Dr. Garay will examine the texts and furnish any comments or suggestions for changes which may occur to him.
As soon as the Governments of Panama, the Dominican Republic, and the United States agree upon these texts, and it is, of course, desirable that such agreement be reached at as early a date as possible, it is suggested that these documents be circulated by Dr. Garay to the other American republics by air mail as the proposal of the three governments mentioned with a request for telegraphic replies.