815.00/2204

The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Honduras ( Belden )

No. 374

Sir: The Minister of Honduras in Washington has advised the Department that he is informed that General Lee Christmas has been in close touch during his recent visit to the United States with ex-President Bertrand, now in New York, and with Colonel Alvarado, in New Orleans, as well as with other Honduran revolutionists. Señor López Gutiérrez stated further that he was convinced that the present journey of General Christmas to Guatemala, nominally as the representative of an American company, is merely a pretext for a revolutionary attempt against the Honduran Government. The Minister has added that it was ascertained after General Christmas’ last visit to Honduras that he had been in close touch with the revolutionary leaders who still remained there, and he said that it was for this reason that he was not permitted to land when he next arrived at Amapala.

General Christmas has admitted to the Department recently that he has been in close touch with the Honduran revolutionists now residing in this country, and he has insinuated that if the Department did not afford him assistance in the claim which he wished to present to the Honduran Government for alleged damages caused him by his recent deportation from that country, he would be willing to forfeit his American passport and join the Honduran revolutionists in an [Page 867] attempt to overthrow the Government of President López Gutiérrez. The Honduran Minister here has also informed the Department that a new revolutionary leader from Honduras has recently arrived in the United States in the person of Don Joaquin Bonilla, son of the ex-President of that name. The Minister evidently believes that it is the purpose of the Honduran revolutionists in the United States to effect a concerted revolt on the north shore of the Republic, and that the recent labor agitation there has been caused by revolutionary propaganda as a preliminary step in this direction.

The Department desires that you advise it whether you are able, from the information at your disposal, to confirm the statements made by the Minister, and also to advise the Department, by telegraph if necessary, of all developments in Honduras which appear to have a revolutionary character. The Department likewise desires you to keep informed so far as possible of the movements of General Lee Christmas, who, it is now understood, is en route to Guatemala, and to report to the Department any evidence which you may discover tending to furnish proof of General Christmas’ connection with Honduran revolutionists in Central American countries.

I am [etc.]

Norman H. Davis