REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES to: DECLASSIFIED Altherity Stateletter Whe Ey me, NARA Date 24 18 at times the door was left ajar, with the result that many entries were effected. It now remains to consider briefly what has happened to the capital that managed to hurdle the barriers raised by selfish and shortsighted nationalism. The united Fruit Company, with extensive interests in the country, has been brazenly harassed and impeded, particularly since the death of Mr. Keith, whose personality was unusual enough to pilot its manifold activities past many of the shoals struck by those who have carried on his work. At the time the 1930 contracts were being discussed and approved, there was a vicious campaign against the Company and its policies. NOW, for some months past, the Congress has been investigating these contracts and the final report of the Committee insists, over the dissuasion of the Executive, that they have not been lived up to. In view of these obstructionist tactics and legislative meddling, the eventuality of the new management of the Company finally and definitely pulling out of Costa Rica is not as remote as it sounds, since this unit is by no means as efficient as the Honduran and other divisions. Thus, the nation today stands an excellent chance of losing one of its two big industries, just as it lost in 1928 when the company proposed program meant an expenditure in the country of not less than 8, 000, 000, through the employment of similar tactics, a chance to cut out Panamá as the site of tremendous new banana development.
The Department is thoroughly familiar with the opposition