810.20 Defense/7212/15
The Minister in Costa Rica (Hornibrook) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 29.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to my despatch No. 2462 of August 20, 1940,26 and to report as follows:
Captain F. L. Riefkohl, Major C. C. Jerome and Major L. Mathewson, have been in close conference with the military authorities of Costa Rica since the date of their arrival and have prepared and obtained the signature of responsible Costa Rican officials to the two original documents which I am enclosing, together with the required number of copies, viz: “Report of Staff Conversations between Members of the Government of Costa Rica and Representatives of the United States Navy”, and “Result of Staff Conferences on Hemisphere Defense between Representatives of the Government of the Republic of Costa Rica, and the Military and Naval Services of the United States”.27
These two documents were signed last night in the presence of the President of the Republic, Major Jerome and Major Mathewson. [Page 92] Out of courtesy I invited Colonel Pate to accompany me to this ceremony. After the documents were signed the President invited the group to partake of high-balls in his residence, and the Minister of War also invited those of us who attended to an informal dinner on the following evening.
I wish to make the observation that the three members of this Commission have made an excellent impression in Costa Rica, and that I personally feel that the Mission has been a complete and thoroughgoing success.
Respectfully yours,