810.79611 Pan American Airways, Inc./711
The Minister in Guatemala (Geissler) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 6.]
Sir: I have the honor to report the following regarding the air transport situation in Guatemala, with specific reference to the [Page 603] present provisional license of the Mexican Aviation Company and to projects of the Pan American Airways.
Mr. Wilbur L. Morrison, Traffic Manager of the Mexican Aviation Company, called at the Legation on October 22, and stated that it had been decided that the Mexican Aviation Company will not seek to get permission to operate south of the city of Guatemala, but that he had that morning indicated to Minister of Fomento Daniel Hernández a willingness to carry mail from the city of Guatemala to Mexico and that Colonel Hernández had shown no inclination to grant any mail contract to the Compañía Mexicana.
Mr. Morrison then went on to say, that the Pan American Airways is now figuring on the establishment of two routes through the Republic of Guatemala, on one of which there would be stops at Belize, Flores (in the Department of El Petén, Guatemala), Tela (Honduras) and at Managua (Nicaragua), and that the other line would, starting with a connection at the city of Guatemala with the Mexican Aviation Company, go to San Salvador and Managua.
On October 24, I talked with the Minister of Fomento about another matter. Then he brought up the subject of aviation, by stating that it now seems probable that there will be made a contract under which the Pan American would have a route from Florida, via Belize, Flores and the city of Guatemala to San Salvador and on South, that being the line which had been proposed at one time last spring by Mr. George L. Rihl, Vice President of the Pan American and President of the Mexican Aviation Company, and in connection with which project I had spoken to Colonel Hernández at the time and was told by him that he was willing to grant such a contract, it developing afterwards, however, that Mr. Rihl changed his mind about wanting it.
Colonel Hernández said, that Mr. Morrison had called on him on October 22, and had indicated that the Pan American again desires to establish that line, and that he, the Minister, had reiterated his willingness and had added that he would like to see two permanent international services in Guatemala, namely that of the Pickwick Airways on the West side and the Pan American coming in from the East. The Minister added, with emphasis, “both of them American companies”. I am not sure, whether he wanted to be understood as saying that he had also used that expression with Mr. Morrison, but it will be recalled that I mentioned on page 4 of despatch 2596 of October 4, 1929, that President Chacón and the Minister of Fomento had given me the distinct impression, that they would much prefer to have the Pan American operate in Guatemala to having the Mexican Aviation Company.
I have [etc.]