Office of the Historian

721.23/1784: Telegram

The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State

Geneva, May 26, 1933—6 p.m.
[Received May 26—2:50 p.m.]

190. My 187, May 25, 1 p.m.

1.
The Advisory Committee meeting this afternoon took up the question of appointment of members of Leticia commission.
2.
Lester suggested that there should be three members, one to be supplied by the Brazilian Government, one by the United States and [Page 540] one by Spain. Furthermore, he suggested that the American should be an army officer perhaps from the Panama zone, with administrative ability, speaking Spanish and with the rank of major or colonel; that the Brazil member should be a naval officer and the Spanish member a diplomat. There was unanimous approval by the Committee to these suggestions.
3.
I expressed appreciation at the desire to have an American army officer on the commission and said that I would refer the matter immediately to my Government for its decision.
4.
Inquiry of Lester after the meeting elicited the information that each member of the commission would receive approximately a salary of from $200 to $300 a month; a clerical allowance of $200 a month, a subsistence allowance of $100 a month, an outfit allowance of $200 and an insurance policy for life, sickness, et cetera. As a matter of fact these sums of money should be practically in addition to living expenses since I understand from Lester that the Colombian Government is planning to supply living quarters and certain extras. Payment of salary and allowances will be by the Colombian Government through the League of Nations.
5.
The League is sending Mencía, a Cuban member of League Secretariat, as Secretary to the commission. However, the League is not furnishing him with clerical assistance and does not intend to provide clerical or secretarial assistance to the members of the commission. According to present plans Mencía and the Spanish member of the commission will sail on June 3d.
6.
The chairmanship of the commission will probably be by monthly rotation alphabetically in which case the American member, if you agree to his participation, would be chairman for the first period.
7.
I should appreciate instructions at as early a date as possible since the League wishes very much to constitute the commission at once.
Wilson