711.1928/289
The Minister in Panama (Gonzalez) to the Secretary of State
No. 476
Panama, November 3, 1934.
[Received
November 12.]
Sir: I have the honor to report and to enclose
an article appearing in today’s issue of the Panama
American,61
which I have been unable to leave without notice, since the slurring
remarks made against the United States by a public official of the City
of Colón at a public gathering is more than should be expected.
Ever since the negotiations have been in the course of conversation
between the Department and the Republic of Panama,62
various articles have appeared of a scurrilous nature, reflecting
discredit upon the United States and the American people, but the source
from which they came did not deserve any official notice. The article
referred to, however, does refer to remarks made by a public official,
and for that reason I have filed with the Secretary of Foreign Relations
of the Republic of Panama a protest, copy of which is hereto
attached.
Respectfully yours,
[Page 639]
[Enclosure]
The American Minister (Gonzalez) to the Panamanian Minister for Foreign
Affairs (Arosemena)
No. 276
Panama, November 3, 1934.
Excellency: I have the honor to inform Your
Excellency that I wish to enter a protest on behalf of my Government
against the speech which was made by Mr. Luis Sayavedra, Municipal
Auditor of the City of Colón, on the 2nd day of November, 1934,
before a large audience, on the first day of Panama’s program of
celebrations of Panama’s thirty-first independence anniversary, when
he referred to the United States as a monster beside whom Sir Henry
Morgan who sacked Old Panama was an angel. This speech appeared in
the Panama American of Saturday, November 3,
1934. I think that such remarks, coming from an officer, are wholly
uncalled for and inexcusable, and I demand on behalf of my
Government an apology.
There have been many speeches recently made and published in the
newspapers discrediting my Government, but I have not until the
present paid much attention to it and indexed them as coming from
those who knew no better than to make such statements, but when
statements such as above mentioned emanate from a public official, I
am duty bound to take notice of the same and to file a protest
thereto. I regret that such incidents should happen, as they tend to
disrupt, not only the Good Neighbor Policy maintained by my
Government, but also the friendship which would exist between my
people and those of Panama.
Accept [etc.]
