882.124a/111: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Liberia (Reber)
115. Your telegram No. 166, November 29, 2 p.m., and previous messages regarding Dr. Smith. The Secretary of the Treasury on behalf of the Public Health Service has informed me that “the Treasury Department is unwilling to continue to furnish an officer to the Liberian Government when that Government finds it impossible [Page 441] to carry out the terms of its agreement”, and requests that Dr. Smith be released from further duty in Liberia.
Under present conditions I agree that Dr. Smith’s further presence cannot be justified, and you are accordingly instructed to send the following communication to the official acting as Liberian Secretary of State, whom you should address without title:
“Sir: I have been instructed to inform you that in view of the failure of the Liberian Government to support measures in favor of sanitation and public health recommended by Surgeon Howard F. Smith of the United States Public Health Service, who was loaned to Liberia to act as Chief Medical Adviser to that country, the American Government is obliged to conclude that no useful purpose can be served by Dr. Smith’s further presence in Liberia at this time, and that he has accordingly been directed to return to the United States.
Dr. Smith is a competent officer of wide practical experience and he has made every effort to bring to the Liberian Government a realization of the desirability of adopting and enforcing measures of sanitation for the protection of the lives of the Liberian people. Every support has been given to these efforts by the American Chargé d’Affaires ad interim acting upon repeated specific instructions from the American Government. Because of the lack of cooperation on the part of the Liberian Government and officials this work has been unproductive.
I am therefore instructed to make it clear to you that the responsibility for the dangers to which the Liberian people are being exposed must rest upon Liberia alone.
My Government desires me to state that the Governments of Great Britain and of France have been informed of the action which the American Government has been impelled to take with regard to Dr. Smith, and of the reasons therefor.”
You should sign this communication without title.
Dr. Smith is authorized to sail at once. He should prepare a succinct report of his service in Liberia for delivery to the Department through the Public Health Service on his arrival.