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The Chargé in Salvador (Arnold) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 8.]
Sir: In compliance with the Department’s circular instruction of May 28, 1917,4 I have the honor to report as follows:
One. The Republic is tranquil and no political events occurred during the past week. Martial Law is still in force but is only retained as a precautionary power. The President informed me that there are at present eight prisoners in the Penitentiary in San Salvador and eight in Santa Ana. Of the prisoners still retained, most are held for criminal offenses. Don Eugenio Araujo, Father of Mr. Arturo Araujo, is still in the Penitentiary and will be kept there until Don Arturo leaves Honduras for England. Mr. Luis Frances, a brother-in-law of Don Arturo, was sent by the Araujo family to urge Don Arturo to leave but he refused. A second visit is being made which they hope will be successful. Don Arturo still continues to write for the press of Honduras against the Government of El Salvador.
[Page 730]All communications have been severed between Guatemala and El Salvador, including the mails to the United States. The mails will be sent via San Francisco and Panama until normal conditions are restored. Most alarming rumors are circulated regarding the revolution in Guatemala5 and Minister Lowenthal published in the press that he had not received any official information from Guatemala for the past nine days and that the public should not place any credence in the telegrams received from Mexico by private individuals in El Salvador. The Legation has received no telegrams from Guatemala regarding the situation.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩
- For papers relating to this subject, see vol. ii pp. 718 ff.↩