715.1715/1037: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Costa Rica (Hornibrook)
16. For Corrigan. Your 42, December 13, 3 p.m. It is my understanding that among the principal functions of the permanent Secretariat now under consideration would be to receive complaints which [Page 115] might be made by either party to the agreement of violations thereof and to take appropriate action after proper investigation of the facts. While it is possible that the Secretariat might later require the services of neutral military observers to investigate specific complaints of alleged violations of the military clauses of the agreement, I am of the opinion that the Commission should rely primarily on the good faith of the parties to the agreement for its fulfillment, and hence that the formation at this juncture “of a board of military experts to supervise and report on the carrying out of the military provisions” might not be desirable. I should appreciate receiving your comments on the foregoing before instructing you definitely.
You may however inform the other members of the commission that this Government would be prepared to detail the American Military Attaché resident in Panama, Colonel Joseph B. Pate, to cooperate with other neutral military observers in the investigation of an alleged violation of military clauses of the agreement in a particular case which had arisen if such action appeared to be necessary after consideration of the facts.