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

819.154/10–1244

Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Robert W. Bradbury of the Division of Caribbean and Central American Affairs

[ Washington ,] October 12, 1944.

Participants:	Mr. John L. Humbard, Public Roads Administration
	Mr. H. H. Wilson, CCA
	Mr. R. W. Bradbury, CCA

Mr. Humbard stated that he had recently returned from Panama and that he was planning to visit at the Embassy of Panama in Washington this afternoon and thought that he might be asked about the present status of the Chepo Road in Panama, and, consequently, wanted to inform the State Department of the latest developments and see if we had any objection to his discussing the matter informally with the Panamanian Embassy.

Mr. Humbard stated that in April, 1944, our Chargé d’Affaires, Mr. Muccio, the President of Panama, and Mr. Galindo in general approved the Project calling for the completion of the Road by the Public Roads Administration. The matter is now being sent through formally by General Brett to the War Department, and as soon as it has cleared in the War Department, it will be possible for the State Department to make a formal presentation to the Panamanian Government. The present plan is as follows:

Public Roads will construct from the P–8 cut-off at the edge of Panama City, to Juan Diaz. The Army has set aside 900,000 dollars for this although the estimated cost is 600,000 dollars. The road would then be extended from Juan Diaz to Pacora (the location of two Army Auxiliary fields known as La Jolla I and La Jolla II), and this construction would be paid by the 50 per cent contribution by the United States Army arid a 50 per cent contribution by the Panamanian Government.³⁰ That section of the road from Pacora to Chepo would be constructed entirely at the expense of the Panamanian Government, but the Public Roads Administration would undertake to complete construction of the distance.

Mr. Humbard said that Public Roads was very anxious to, have this matter rushed as soon as the approval of the War Department has been secured, because it would be desirable to move the supplies and equipment so that actual construction could take place during the next dry season (normally from December to April).

Mr. Humbard also thought that we should notify him as to whether the Department could perceive any objection to his mentioning this matter to the Panamanian Embassy. The matter was then discussed by Messrs. Cochran³¹ and Cabot, and Mr. Humbard was called and informed that it would be all right for him to mention this matter to the Embassy informally, but that the Department hoped that the War Department and Public Roads could notify us shortly of the final terms so that they could then be formally transmitted to the Government of Panama by the Department.

30. In a memorandum of December 4, 1944, by H. H. Wilson, it was stated that the decision of the Wax Department on the two segments of the road, the expense of which was to be paid by that Department, was that the course of the war did not justify the expenditure as a war measure (819.154/12–444).
31. William Pearsol Cochran, Assistant Chief, Division of Caribbean and Central American Affairs.