740.00111 A.R./1173
The Minister in Guatemala ( Des Portes ) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 31.]
Sir: With reference to the Legation’s despatch no. 1268, of May 22, 1940 (File No. 711.1/820.0247), I have the honor to enclose herewith a copy and translation of the Guatemalan reply45 to the German memorandum regarding the protest of the American Republics against the invasion of the Low Countries. This copy has been transmitted by the Foreign Office in confidence to the Legation.
The Department will observe that the Note is, for the most part, courteous and mild but that there are one or two barbs in it, notably in regard to the activities of the German colony in this country.
The Guatemalan Government’s reply to the German memorandum was perhaps more candidly expressed by the publication of the note of protest of the twenty-one American Republics on May 2048 on the front page of the three principal newspapers in this city. This action was of course taken at the suggestion of this Legation, but the German Minister cannot fail to have noted that there would have been plenty of time after his protest for the Guatemalan Government to have told the newspapers not to publish the note, if the latter had desired to do so.
Respectfully yours,