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  4. Document 279

818.51/991: Telegram

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

San José, May 23, 1942—2 p.m.
[Received 8:50 p.m.]

267. Referring to Department’s 195, May 21, 10 p.m. The Costa Rican Minister of Finance is of the opinion that the proposition embodied in the Department’s telegram under reference was drafted before receipt of, or at least the study by the Export-Import Bank, of the proposition which he forwarded to Warren Pierson on May 8 through the Costa Rican Legation in Washington. He considers that proposition more advantageous to his Government than the one proposed in the Department’s 195 and would appreciate an immediate examination of it and a reply before making a decision on the proposition which the Department has just advanced. The Minister of Finance asked me to call the Department’s attention to the fact that what his Government urgently needs is a credit which can be utilized immediately in order to tide over the present very critical situation. He believes his proposition of May 8 would permit a more rapid utilization of the credit than the one proposed in the Department’s 195 and would be more acceptable to the Congress.

[Page 247]

As regards the proposition in the last paragraph of the Department’s telegram the Minister of Finance is delighted at the suggestion of sending one or two experts here. He believes the presence of such experts would be of the greatest assistance in working out a long term reorganization of Costa Rican finances and he feels that his Government is prepared to cooperate with such experts in every way. He will speak to the President about this matter this afternoon and if as he believes the President will have the same idea as himself, either the Minister of Finance or the President will send me within the next few days an official request for the services of these experts.

The Minister of Finance asked me to explain that the credit which his Government is endeavoring to obtain at the present time is needed with the utmost urgency and that it should not wait until the arrival of these experts.

Scotten