Office of the Historian

810.20 Defense/632: Telegram

The Ambassador in Colombia (Braden) to the Secretary of State

Bogotá, March 12, 1941—8 p.m.
[Received 10:45 p.m.]

76. My telegram No. 43, February 1.6 Because of same underlying influences described in my telegram 75 it would seem President himself [Page 3] rather than Minister of War will before my departure for Washington review with me Colombian armament requirements.

Santos suggested Colombia’s procurement of munitions be financed by part of an Export-Import Bank loan, remainder of which would be for economic purposes as mentioned in my despatch No. 1335.7 … I observed it might be best to leave this phase of matter until we had necessary information.

He also now suggests acquiring 1,000 ton freighters instead of revenue cutters (see despatch No. 13338). Obviously he hopes thus to form nucleus of national merchant marine described in my despatches. I gave no encouragement.

Braden
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. February 3, p. 55.↩
  3. Dated February 3, 1941, not printed.↩