810.154/1234
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Costa Rica (Hornibrook)
Sir: Copies of your despatch no. 45 dated October 20, 1937,29 stating that the Costa Rican Congress had “approved the bill providing for American participation in the Cartago–San Marcos highway” have been forwarded to the Bureau of Public Roads for its information. Copies of your despatch no. 19 of September 21,29 and no. 22 of September 23, 1937, were also referred to the Bureau of Public Roads.
It is noted that you were informed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica that his Government accepts without reservation the proposals for participation in the construction of the section of the Inter-American Highway contemplated in your note no. 6 of September 16, that the proposal would immediately be sent to Congress, and that he would inform you of the disposition of the constitutional Congress of the Republic toward the bill as soon as it should be expressed.
No subsequent despatch which has reached the Department has stated that this promised formal communication on the subject had been received by you. The note which the Chargé d’Affaires was directed, in the Department’s instruction no. 387 of February 19, 1937, to address to the Costa Rican Government, stated in conclusion that “as soon as my Government shall be informed that the Costa Rican Government has definitively announced that it desires to proceed with the proposed road construction along the lines indicated, my Government will be ready to begin at once its part of the work.”
If on receipt of this instruction you shall not already have received and forwarded to the Department the formal communication on the subject, promised by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, you are requested to inform the Department by telegraph whether the statements contained in your despatches referred to above should be accepted by this Government as the definitive announcement of the Costa Rican Government “that it desires to proceed with the proposed road construction along the lines indicated,” the receipt of which announcement was to be the occasion for this Government “to begin at once its part of the work.”
It is the understanding of the Department of State that the Bureau of Public Roads is in fact ready to begin this Government’s cooperation in the proposed construction work; but your definite assurance is desired whether any further pertinent communication from the [Page 195] Costa Rican Government should be awaited before the cooperation actually begins.
Very truly yours,