Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, 1930, Volume III

882.01/13: Telegram

The Chargé in Liberia (Reber) to the Secretary of State

Monrovia, December 19, 1930—8 a.m.
[Received 3:05 p.m.]

178. The Finance Corporation has sent a telegram to be delivered to the Secretary of the Treasury requesting inter alia “an immediate reply regarding what steps have been taken by Government to have officials who are delinquent in their accounts effectively prosecuted and loss sustained thereby recovered”.

[Paraphrase.] Barclay⁷⁹ is included in this, and if prosecution is insisted upon this may lead either to refusal to answer the charges or to a local demand for Barclay’s resignation, which would mean difficulty in forming a new or stable government.

While it is recognized that it is important to effect a settlement of these matters, it is believed that these other factors should be given due consideration. The Financial Adviser will hold up the cablegram until December 22 in the supposition that the Department of State has not been consulted in this regard and would wish to comment. [End paraphrase.]

Reber

79. Edwin Barclay, Secretary of State, who assumed the Presidency upon resignation of President King, December 3, 1930.