838.001—Vincent, Stenio/197: Telegram
The Minister in Haiti (Mayer) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:40 p.m.]
52. The Acting Fiscal Representative1 brought to my attention on Saturday the request of President Vincent for an extraordinary credit of 10,000 gourdes for travelling expenses. In view of the serious financial plight of the Haitian Government the Acting Fiscal Representative recommended against it on the grounds that the time had come for strict economy and that his [apparent omission] to the 1922 bondholders prevented his approving extraordinary credits for such purposes. Particularly since President Vincent has made no refund of the obviously unexpended balance of the extraordinary credit of $20,000 for his trip to the United States in December; I heartily concurred and promised my support.
The Acting Fiscal Representative following a conversation with the Minister of Finance2 yesterday has now reversed his position for the reason that the Minister of Finance on the basis of an implied agreement of the credit by De la Rue3 before his recent departure for the United States had assured President Vincent of approval. This agreement if given was without consultation with or approval by the Legation in conformity with the long standing procedure.
In the light of our several recent discussions on procedure and the necessity for economy, and since the fiscal representative is urging an additional Export-Import Bank credit of $3,000,000 to alleviate the Haitian financial situation which he has so pessimistically painted, it is difficult to see why he failed to quash this request at the outset when the opportunity was afforded him. In this connection, I reported in my confidential letter Number 211 of April 233a that De la Rue had been seeking to have the Legation bear the brunt of refusals or actions on matters unpleasant to the Government of Haiti. He desired [Page 879] that the Legation discuss such matters with President Vincent and, failing an agreement, he would act as mediator, suggesting a compromise. On several occasions I pointed out that this was “putting the cart before the horse,” and that exactly the opposite procedure was desired since the consideration of first importance is the maintenance of good relations between the Government of Haiti and the Government of the United States rather than between the Government of Haiti and the Office of the Fiscal Representative.
From the foregoing, it is clear that the Legation is faced with a situation in which the Office of the Fiscal Representative now recommends the approval of an extraordinary credit for presidential travel on the basis of a fait accompli. I am opposed to this sort of procedure as I am opposed to the waste of government funds. At the same time, I feel that it is incumbent upon me for obvious reasons to prevent the Legation from bearing the onus of this or similar refusals. Under these and with great regret I have approved the credit.
May I suggest that the Department discuss this whole matter with De la Rue at its earliest convenience, meanwhile giving me the benefit of its views by telegraph on the policy questions involved.