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assure you of the continued interest of the United States Government and people, as well as my own personal interest in the welfare of your country. Warren G. Harding."

PHILLIPS

813.00 Tacoma/- : Telegram

The Minister in Costa Rica (Davis) to the Acting Secretary of

State

SAN JOSÉ, September 10, 1922—4 p. m.

[Received September 11-10:30 a.m.] 50. President Acosta has replied to invitation to subscribe to Tacoma agreement as follows:

"Giving ear to public opinion set forth in the daily papers of the country as well as the opinion of the members of the Cabinet and after a calm and careful analysis the Government over which I preside appreciates the honorable invitation but it abstains definitely from subscribing to the said agreement since it considers that on the part of Costa Rica the terms of the General Treaty of Peace and Amity celebrated in Washington in 1907 which this Government does not intend to denounce are sufficient.

"The occasion is opportune to express to Your Excellency that the Costa Rican Government and people fervently desire that the agreement signed on the Tacoma adjust forever the differences which gave origin to it and those which may arise in the future and that an era of peace and harmony benefit with its favors in [these] sister republics.'

DAVIS

813.00 Tacoma/1

The Chargé in Salvador (Hewes) to the Secretary of State

No. 211

SAN SALVADOR, September 25, 1922.
[Received October 13.]

SIR: I have the honor to refer to my despatch No. 194 of August 31st last 50 with which there were enclosed a copy and translation of an identic note of the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Government[s] of Costa Rica and Guatemala inviting them to adhere to the Tacoma Convention signed by El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua on August 20th.

Under date of the 22nd instant, Doctor Avila 51 sent me a copy of the reply of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala to the

50 Not printed.

81

Arturo R. Avila, Salvadoran Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs.

invitation, in which he merely expresses the thanks of his Government to that of El Salvador for sending it the text of the Tacoma Convention and states that this important document will be given its fullest consideration.

I have [etc.]

CLARENCE B. HEWES

813.00 Tacoma/-: Telegram

The Minister in Guatemala (Geissler) to the Secretary of State

GUATEMALA, October 4, 1922-6 p. m.

[Received October 5-1:48 p.m.] 84. Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Guatemala telegraphed to-day to Presidents of Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua stating that Guatemala has not ceased to comply with the treaty of 1907 and has not denounced it but is disposed to carry out the provisions of the treaties of Washington and will second any initiation of other Central American countries to facilitate defense of the States and reconstruction of the Nation. The telegram does not mention proposed December conference. Text in to-day's mail,52 also reasons given to me by Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

GEISSLER

CONFERENCE ON CENTRAL AMERICAN AFFAIRS, CONVENED AT WASHINGTON DECEMBER 4, 1922

813.00 Washington/3: Telegram

The Chargé in Salvador (Hewes) to the Secretary of State

SAN SALVADOR, October 11, 1922-5 p.m.
[Received 10 p.m.]

98. My 97, October 9, 12 m.52 The Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs called on me this afternoon at the request of the President and expressed the hope that the Department would invite the December preliminary conference 53 to meet in Washington. This Government also earnestly desires the participation of Guatemala and Costa Rica in the conference. Repeated to the Legations at Guatemala City, Tegucigalpa, Managua and San José.

52 Not printed.

19

HEWES

By the terms of art. 5 of the Tacoma agreement of Aug. 20, 1922, printed on p. 422, the Presidents of Honduras, Salvador, and Nicaragua agreed to call, in December, a "preliminary conference" to arrange for studies for a Central American Conference regarding free trade, unification of currency, etc.

813.00 Washington/5: Telegram

The Minister in Nicaragua (Ramer) to the Secretary of State

MANAGUA, October 13, 1922-4 p.m.

[Received October 14-3:55 p.m.] 53. It is my impression after an interview with the President today that an invitation from the Secretary of State for the December conference under recent Tacoma agreement to be held in Washington would be gladly accepted.

RAMER

813.00 Washington/7: Telegram

The Chargé in Honduras (Smith) to the Secretary of State

TEGUCIGALPA, October 18, 1922—noon.

[Received October 19-12:20 p.m.] 80. The Minister for Foreign Affairs informed me this morning that the Honduranean Government would be pleased to have the Government of the United States send invitations to the Central American States to attend the conference referred to in article 5 of the Tacoma agreement. The conference to be held in December at Washington.

SMITH

813.00 Washington/8a

The Secretary of State to President Harding

WASHINGTON, October 21, 1922.

MY DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: The conditions existing in the countries of Central America for some time have made it appear advisable for the United States Government to take some steps looking to the establishment of more peaceful and stable relations among them.

An important step in this direction was the conference on board the U. S. S. Tacoma on August 20, last." An agreement was signed by the Presidents of Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador which for the time being brought about better relations, but something more definite is needed to make permanent the gains already made and to accomplish other needed reforms. In the agreement it was stated that a further conference would be called in December to go into the general Central American situation more fully, and it was contemplated that Guatemala and Costa Rica, which were invited 55 See pp. 417 ff.

to adhere to the Tacoma agreement, would be included in the next conference.

The matter of convoking a conference in Washington of the Central American powers, on similar lines to the one held here in 1907,56 has been before the consideration of the Department for some time and the steps taken on board the Tacoma have seemed to indicate that such would be the proper course. During the last week, moreover, the Governments of Nicaragua and El Salvador have suggested, the former through its Minister in Washington and the latter through the American Legation in San Salvador, that it would be most advantageous should such a conference now be called by the United States Government, as it is felt that there will be more likelihood that Guatemala and Costa Rica would accept should the invitation come from the Government of the United States. It would appear, therefore, that the present is an auspicious time to issue invitations for such a conference, and I enclose herewith a memorandum" briefly reviewing the general Central American situation for the last few years, together with an account of the present situation and the objects which should be sought at the proposed conference, together with a draft of an invitation 58 to the five Central American countries to a conference to be held in Washington on December 4th, should you approve.

I am [etc.]

CHARLES E. HUGHES

813.00 Washington/13

President Harding to the Secretary of State

WASHINGTON, October 21, 1922.

MY DEAR MR. SECRETARY: I have your letter of this morning relating to the advisability and desirability of this government calling a conference in Washington of Central American powers. Since it is evident that such action on the part of this government will be agreeable to the powers concerned, and since it is very clear that such a conference will be helpful in the establishment of more stable relations among the Central American states I am very glad to approve of the invitation submitted, and hope you will proceed at once in issuing it.

Very truly yours,

56 See Foreign Relations, 1907, pt. 2. pp. 644 ff.

ST Not printed.

58

WARREN G. HARDING

See telegram no. 17, Oct. 21, 1922, to the Minister in Costa Rica, p. 430.

167952-38-vol. I- -35

813.00 Washington/10e: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Costa Rica (Davis) 59

WASHINGTON, October 21, 1922—6 p.m.

17. Deliver following note textually to the President and inform him of the gratification of the United States if the Government of Costa Rica will accept the invitation contained therein:

"The Government of the United States has watched with attention the measures taken in August last by the Presidents of Nicaragua, Salvador and Honduras at the conference held on board the U. S. S. Tacoma to effect more friendly and peaceful relations in Central America. The American Government was gratified at the action of those countries in acknowledging the validity of the General Treaty of Peace and Friendship signed at Washington on December 20, 1907,60 and at the action of the Governments of Costa Rica and Guatemala in definitely declaring that that Treaty, in so far as they are concerned, is still in force.si

The Government of the United States believes that a great step has been taken towards peace and stability by these declarations of the five Central American states and is further of the opinion that the peaceful and friendly relations and the prosperity of these countries could still further be insured by a frank and friendly exchange of views and recommendations, the results thereof to be embodied in a treaty for the permanent regulation of their mutual interests and relations.

The Government of the United States consequently takes pleasure in inviting the Governments of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Salvador and Guatemala to send plenipotentiaries to Washington for a conference to be held beginning Monday, December 4th, to discuss:

1. The negotiation of a treaty or treaties to make effective those provisions of the treaties signed at Washington on December 20, 1907, which experience has shown to be effective in maintaining friendly relations and cooperation among the Central American States.

62

2. Measures whereby, in view of the achievements accomplished with regard to the limitation of armaments by the powers participating in the Conference at Washington in 1921, the Central American States may carry on this endeavor and set an example to the world and above all to the powers of this hemisphere, by adopting effective measures for the limitation of armaments in Central America.

3. The working out of a plan for setting up Tribunals of Inquiry whenever any disputes or questions regarding the proposed treaty or treaties, which cannot be settled by diplomatic means, shall unfortunately arise between any two or more of the countries.

69

The same, mutatis mutandis, to the diplomatic representatives in Guatemala (no. 47), Honduras (no. 35), Nicaragua (no. 41), and Salvador (no. 44).

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61

See telegrams no. 50, Sept. 10, 1922, from the Minister in Costa Rica, and no. 84, Oct. 4, 1922, from the Minister in Guatemala, pp. 426 and 427, respectively. 02 See pp. 1 ff.

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