740.16112A/7–2445: Airgram
The Ambassador in El Salvador ( Simmons ) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 30—5 p.m.]
A–159. The Department’s instruction no. 88 of July 19, 1945.45 This Embassy and the British Chargé d’Affaires46 are still in agreement with the suggested hard core list, as indicated in my telegram no. 193 of May 31, 1945;45 this is true also of Salvadoran Government. However, the main obstacle to effective expropriation, liquidation or forced sale of remaining firms is the matter of agricultural properties, especially those of Walter Deininger, a Salvadoran citizen. Regardless of nationality of coffee plantation owners (Deininger, Alberto Bendix, Guillermo Schmidt), Salvadoran authorities still insist that the Constitution effectively prevents what they term the “unconstitutional” disposal of real estate. Consequently, even though we obtain oral assurances that the desired action will be taken, it is felt that, in actual practice, no coffee plantations will be liquidated or sold. However, further efforts will be made to have the authorities reconsider their decisions and the Department will be informed.
[Page 346]In the light of present conditions, this Embassy has felt that the deletions requested in despatch no. 329 of June 21, 1945,47 could be considered as “intermediate” cases. If the Department feels that all names other than hard core ones should be deleted immediately, no valid objection to such action is perceived by us.