715.1715/7–1944

The Chief of the Division of Caribbean and Central American Affairs (Cabot) to the Ambassador in Venezuela (Corrigan)

Dear Dr. Corrigan: I read with great interest your despatch no. 6226 of July 19, 1944. I am afraid that I am personally somewhat responsible for the passage of which you complain. The conversation lasted two hours or more and you can read my memo in two minutes. In the passage to which you refer Mr. Bonsal did make it perfectly [Page 221] clear in the context that he did not agree with Dr. Laínez. Needless to say, Dr. Laínez maintained his position, so the only argument I mentioned in my memorandum was the more convincing one from Dr. Laínez’s viewpoint that even if he were right regarding your attitude, it still wasn’t a valid argument for not negotiating now.

With regard to the last page of your despatch, Mr. Bonsal carried out his activities after we had given long and careful consideration to this entire matter. We felt that it would be advisable to clear this dispute up before the peace negotiations, if possible. We also felt that the chances of getting something done were perhaps more favorable while the governments involved were reasonably stable, while public opinion was calm, and while the two countries were co-belligerents. Mr. Bonsal spoke to the Venezuelan and Costa Rican Ambassadors before undertaking to sound out the Hondurans and Nicaraguans. In the course of his trip, he took the opportunity to speak to both President Carías and President Somoza. Although his talks were moderately successful, our plans have been somewhat knocked awry by political disturbances in Central America. I think we may again move ahead in the near future if things calm down.

In any more formal moves which we may make, we shall of course bear the mediation situation in mind. Various possibilities have suggested themselves to us in this connection. If, as a result of strictly informal talks it is possible to get the two countries to agree, we may suggest that the formal proposal emanate from the Mediation Commission. A possible alternative would be for the three mediating Presidents jointly to appeal for a settlement or perhaps we will ask the other two mediating countries to permit us to move unilaterally.

You may not know that the Hondurans have never replied to our note suggesting that this matter be put on ice for the duration.21 Under these circumstances, we did not feel that we were in any way bound by our suggestion. The Hondurans have not thrown this in our faces and the Nicaraguans of course have no official knowledge of it.

I am putting a copy of this letter in the official record in order that it will be quite clear that we have heeded your comments. I should of course not want it to appear even by implication that we had accepted Dr. Laínez’s views about your activities or that we had gone off on an ill-considered tangent.

Very truly yours,

J[ohn] M. C[abot]
  1. Note to the Honduran Minister for Foreign Affairs, February 24, 1943, Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. v. p. 349.