818.20/37

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Costa Rica ( Hornibrook )
No. 433

Sir: The Department has referred a copy of your despatch no. 2397 of July 25, 194028 transmitting a copy of the report of Lieutenant Colonel S. M. Montesinos on the requirements of the Costa Rican Government with respect to the United States Military Mission.

The Department has now received a reply dated August 24, 1940 from the Secretary of War28 stating that “provided the Costa Rican Government is prepared to make the changes recommended by Lieutenant Colonel Montesinos, the War Department will arrange to send an appropriate mission”. The War Department adds that unless these changes can be made, it would seem useless to send the United States Military Mission to Costa Rica.

The Department of State concurs in the views of the Secretary of War and therefore requests that you take up the matter informally with the appropriate authorities of the Costa Rican Government. You should endeavor to obtain assurances on the three points under paragraph (b)29 of the recommendations on page 3 of Colonel Montesinos’ report as a prerequisite to the furnishing of a military mission to Costa Rica. You may assure the Costa Rican authorities that provided that the Costa Rican Government takes steps to meet these conditions, arrangements will be made immediately for the selection of a competent United States military mission and that consideration will be given to ways and means of assisting the Costa Rican Government to obtain on favorable terms the arms, munitions, and supplies listed in paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) of the recommendations.

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Finally, you may assure the Costa Rican Government that this Government is confident that in the event the Costa Rican Government should contract for the services of a United States military mission, an agreement can be reached with respect to the compensation to be paid to the members of that mission which will be entirely satisfactory to the Costa Rican Government and well within its capacity to pay.

Very truly yours,

For the Secretary of State:
A. A. Berle, Jr.
  1. Not printed.
  2. Not printed.
  3. Recommendations for increasing the terms of enlistment for the Army and National Police and enlarging the latter to form a protective force to be known as the President’s Guard of Honor.