832.20/72

The Secretary of War (Dern) to the Secretary of State

Dear Mr. Secretary: Your letter of March 22, 1934,85 enclosing a draft of a proposed contract between the United States of America and Brazil for the services of two Army officers, is acknowledged.

The contract has been carefully studied and a re-draft is enclosed.86 One major change is included, i. e., to make the term of the contract uniform throughout the document. This was not the case in the Brazilian draft.

The enclosed re-draft includes the original wording of the Brazilian draft as well as the proposed changes and additions, the words replaced or omitted are lined out as follows—words—the substitutions or additions are underlined as—letters. It is the opinion of the War Department that the changes made in the contract should be approved.

The officers who will compose the mission are:

  • Lieut. Colonel Rodney H. Smith, C.A.C.
  • Captain William D. Hohenthal, C.A.C.

It appears to be the desire of the Brazilian Government that the mission arrive in Brazil as soon as practicable. To that end it is [Page 625] requested that every effort be made to secure prompt signature of the contract as amended.

Sincerely yours,

Geo. H. Dern
  1. Not printed.
  2. Enclosure not printed. The redrafted text was signed on May 10, 1934, without change.