[Enclosure]
Draft of Reply to Communication From the Chief of
Staff of the Dominican Army (Trujillo)
My Dear General Trujillo: In acknowledging
the receipt of your letter of July 26, 1939, I desire to say that
the officials of this Government have been only too glad to extend
to you friendly courtesies. I am pleased that you found your stay in
this country enjoyable.
Your reiteration that the foreign policy of the people and Government
of the Dominican Republic is pledged to the aims of continental
solidarity cannot but evoke a feeling of gratification on the part
of this Government.
I sincerely appreciate your frankness in making your suggestion with
respect to the existing Convention of 1924 between the Dominican
Republic and the United States and wish to assure you that for my
own part personally, I welcome them in the spirit in which I know
they have been made. I feel sure that you realize that this
Government no less than that of the Dominican Republic has been
desirous of finding a solution which would, while honoring the
contractual obligations of both Governments towards third parties,
clear away the remaining vestiges of the former special financial
relationship between the two countries.
While the method that you suggest, namely, that the President of the
United States either appoint a Dominican citizen as Receiver General
of Dominican Customs or else leave that post unfilled, has much to
recommend it on the grounds of simplicity, such a solution could
only be partial in its effects.
Under the Convention of 1924, and in the contracts of the Dominican
external bonds, the two Governments assumed certain responsibilities
toward the purchasers and owners of these bonds. Merely to appoint a
Dominican citizen as Receiver General of Dominican Customs, even
were that gesture satisfactory to the Dominican people and
Government, would not in effect transfer any of the responsibility
of the Government of the United States to the Dominican Government,
which has been one of the chief objectives of both Governments.
Furthermore, it is my understanding that there are several other
provisions of the Convention, including that mentioned by you with
regard to alterations in the Dominican Customs Tariff, which stand
in need of revision.
It was with the view to effecting a complete revision of the
provisions of the Convention of 1924 in an effort to respond to the
aspirations of the Dominican Government and people while
safeguarding the obligations assumed towards the holders of
Dominican external bonds, that the Government of the United States
first agreed to undertake
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negotiations for a new instrument which might be substituted for
that Convention.
It was my hope that these informal negotiations, which had proceeded
to what was believed to be the point of mutual agreement, might be
brought to a successful conclusion.
Finally, I need hardly bring to your attention the fact that while
the Executive Branch of this Government is charged with the
responsibility of negotiating treaties and conventions, under our
Constitution it must submit these instruments to the Senate for its
advice and consent.
In closing may I take the opportunity again to assure you that this
Government is sincerely desirous of concluding an agreement to
replace the Convention of 1924 which will respond to Dominican
aspirations and will dissolve the remaining direct financial
relationship between the two Governments without prejudice to the
interests of third parties. To this end this Government is prepared
either to continue with a discussion of existing proposals or to
examine with sympathetic understanding any new proposal which may be
proffered by the Dominican Government.
Very sincerely yours,
