Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, The American Republics, Volume VII

816.00/1303: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in El Salvador (Thurston)

Washington, May 6, 1944—9 p.m.

126. The Department authorizes you with respect to the question raised in your 137 of May 5, 11 p.m.²¹ strictly informally to indicate in your discretion the Department’s policy as follows:

In 1933 the United States solemnly pledged itself to a policy of non-intervention in the internal political affairs of the other American Republics.²² It has reiterated that pledge on many subsequent occasions. This policy was adopted after long and careful consideration to allay the complaints which had frequently been voiced in the other American Republics to policies theretofore pursued by the United States. In committing itself formally to this policy the United States made no reservation as to the type of crisis which might arise or as to the issues which might be involved.

The United States has sincerely endeavored to fulfil the obligations which it thereby assumed. The fact that it has not voiced disapproval of domestic political developments in various of the other Republics does not necessarily mean that it approves all of those developments. It merely means that the United States feels itself bound not to express either approval or disapproval.

Hull

21. Not printed; in it Ambassador Thurston stated that he would appreciate any suggestions from the Department on procedure for countering pressure on the Embassy to intervene in the political situation. The Ambassador added that this pressure was accompanied by the suggestion that if the Embassy and the Government of the United States again stood by impassively while a popular and democratic movement was under way, the prestige of the United States would be irreparably damaged. (816.00/1303)

22. Reference here is presumably to the statement by President Roosevelt December 28, 1933, in an address before the Woodrow Wilson Foundation. Referring to President Wilson’s statement at Mobile, Alabama, on October 27, 1913, he said: “It therefore has seemed clear to me as President that the time has come to supplement and implement the declaration of President Wilson by the further declaration that the definite policy of the United States from now on is one opposed to armed intervention.

    “The maintenance of constitutional government in other nations is not a sacred obligation devolving upon the United States alone. The maintenance of law and the orderly processes of government in this hemisphere is the concern of each individual nation within its own borders first of all. It is only if and when the failure of orderly processes affects the other nations of the continent that it becomes their concern; and the point to stress is that in such an event it becomes the joint concern of a whole continent in which we are all neighbors.” Department of State, Press Releases, December 28, 1933, p. 381. For President Wilson’s statement, see S. Doc. 440, 63rd Cong., 2nd sess., p. 7.