811.20 Defense (M)/5882: Telegram

The Minister in Costa Rica ( Scotten ) to the Secretary of State

168. Department’s 116, March 19, 5 p.m. and this Legation’s 159, March 25, 5 p.m. Although I have not yet had an opportunity to convey to the Costa Rican Government the sense of the Department’s circular telegram of March 28, 9 p.m.,3 a communication has been received from the Secretary of Public Works and Agriculture stating that (1) The Government of Costa Rica is disposed to assure the restriction of the exportation of rubber to the United States for a period of 5 years; (2) the purchase of rubber in this country may be made by the Rubber Reserve Company; (3) the Rubber Reserve Company should agree minimum of 35 cents per pound for Castilloa rubber delivered at a point near the area of production. Other grades would be paid for according to quality. (4) The Government of Costa Rica will take steps to increase as much as possible the gathering of rubber. (5) The Government of the United States should agree to return to Costa Rica a certain percentage of this rubber [Page 230] in the form of manufactured products, especially tires for trucks and automobiles.

The communication concludes that a mutually advantageous agreement can be reached on the foregoing basis.

Scotten
  1. Ante, p. 172.