821.12/37: Telegram
The Ambassador in Colombia (Lane) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 22—4:05 a.m.]
1225. Referring to Department’s 982, September 19. Dr. Bugher of the Rockefeller Foundation who is head of the Division of Special Studies of the Ministry of Labor and Hygiene has worked out in conjunction with officials of that Ministry a health and sanitation program for presentation to President López. From the beginning one of the principles emphasized has been that such a program would be undertaken with the absolute minimum of professional or technical help from the United States since it was realized not only that it [Page 223] would be difficult to obtain such help under war conditions but also that it would be preferable as far as possible to use Colombian doctors, a number of whom have been trained in the United States under grants given by the Rockefeller Foundation specifically for this purpose. Dr. Bugher has also discussed the proposed plan with the military authorities in the Canal Zone since it has a direct relation to sanitation of areas of possible military activity in Colombia. … While the program has been discussed with Pocklington of the Rubber Reserve it has not been possible to ascertain from him or from Clark of the Coordinator’s Office whether additional funds for the sanitation of areas in which the Rubber Reserve is interested have been transferred from the Rubber Reserve to the Coordinator’s Office or are otherwise available. Clarification of this point would be appreciated.
President López has evinced keen interest in the nutritional program outlined in Dr. Lay Martin’s telegram to the Coordinator (No. 1039 of August 12, 11 p.m.12) and has expressed the hope that General Dunham13 will come here shortly from Rio de Janeiro. I believe that it would be definitely to our advantage to cooperate in a project of this nature which would be the first move of social significance undertaken by the López Government.
I shall discuss the matter fully with Rockefeller on his arrival September 23.