715.1715/985: Telegram
The Special Representative of the President (Corrigan) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 27—1:25 a.m.]
25. The reply of the Honduran Government was not delivered until 4:30 this afternoon although it came in yesterday’s air mail. Important changes considered contribute to a bad impression which the reply has made on the Mediation Commission. The 10 suggestions hereafter referred to as “points” are reduced to 8 by combining points 1 and 2 and eliminating point 7 which refers to the non-use of stamp maps. The changes made by merging points 1 and 2 are technical and not of basic importance.
Point 5 (Honduran number 4) adds “except in case of a revolution in said frontier regions”.
Point 6 (Honduran number 5) insert after the words “protection”, “in accordance with the law”.
Point 7 eliminated with a statement that Honduras has been using its official map on stamps since 1926.
Points 8 and 9 of our draft now to be considered as Honduran points 6 and 7 are accepted without alteration.
[Page 109]Point 10 now Honduran number 8 is badly modified. I quote the new text in translation:
“A mutual offer on behalf of both Governments not to employ arms meanwhile (entanto) the present difficulties have not been ended (terminen) by pacific measures established by international law, without prejudice to the Honduran reservation at the signing of the Arbitration Convention of January 5, 1929 at Washington, D. C, United States of America”.60
The Commission feels that the elimination of our point 7 is seriously non-cooperative and that Honduran point 8 is not acceptable in its present form. Conferences will be held with both delegations tomorrow.