882.00/1134: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Liberia ( Wharton )
39. Your 58, October 3, 9 p.m. Unless you have reason to believe, following receipt of this telegram, that the internal situation would be unfortunately affected by the arrival of the U. S. S. Omaha, you should at once request permission for a 24-hour visit beginning October 9 instead of the period stated in the Department’s 37, October 1, 5 p.m. Vessel left Lisbon October 3 en route to the United States and will call at Pernambuco, Brazil, after making this courtesy visit to Liberia. Arrangements were made to include Monrovia in the itinerary because this Government was mindful of the cordial reception accorded to the Boise 2 years ago2 and because it was believed that the Government of Liberia would appreciate the opportunity to receive another courtesy call by a United States war vessel in the face of present international developments. If you consider the visit inadvisable, you should inform the Department immediately.
We had intended, in any case, to send you our views in regard to the disquieting reports received from various sources as to the political situation in Liberia. The alleged attempts against the life of President Barclay and Secretary of State Simpson are a cause for perturbation at a moment which may be critical in the existence of Liberia as an independent nation. As you are probably aware, intensified activity in Africa by the Axis Powers is foreshadowed with the approach of winter and the apparent postponement of action against the British Isles, and there is no way of predicting how the forthcoming events may affect Liberia. At this juncture in world affairs, and in African affairs in particular, it would appear vitally important for the Government and people of Liberia to present a united front, to avoid scrupulously any appearance of internal dissension, and to refrain from any action which might be construed abroad as weakness.
We have long realized the great burden which President Barclay is carrying in loyally and patriotically endeavoring to discharge the duties of his office, and we have been concerned lest his health should suffer as a result of the tremendous strain he is constantly undergoing. One means of relieving the load which occurs to us would be the prompt filling of cabinet vacancies for administrative purposes, even if few candidates of outstanding calibre can be found at the moment. If such posts remain long unfilled, the impression is inevitably created, as in certain European countries, that the head of the government desires to retain them for himself. While we are aware that such suspicions would be grossly unfair in the case of President Barclay, we [Page 753] cannot avoid pointing out the danger of permitting them to develop in the minds of misguided or unintelligent persons.
You should bring the foregoing consideration to the attention of the President in whatever manner you deem most appropriate, but we shall leave to your discretion the advisability of acting now or waiting until after the departure of the Omaha. In view of the delicate internal situation, it would probably be undesirable to link the remarks directly with the projected visit of the warship, but to let the latter speak for itself. You could, however, make the utmost of the salutary international effect which the visit would have at this time, especially when the question of international and inter-continental air routes is a subject of attention and discussion. In this connection, you could take Rear Admiral LeBreton into your confidence and enlist his personal and informal assistance in mentioning to officials of the Liberian Government the need for national unity in democratic countries during these dangerous times.
In view of the shortness of time before the arrival of the Omaha, you should suggest to the Liberian Government that any entertainment provided should be of the most informal variety and that expenses in this connection might well be kept to a minimum.