724.3415/3900a: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Brazil (Gibson)

75. During the course of the visit here by Dr. Alfonso Lopez,92 the latter discussed with the President and with the Department the questions [Page 136] involved in the Chaco controversy and the initiative recently taken by the Governments of Colombia and Peru. Dr. Lopez expressed his belief that the time had come when Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Mexico and the United States should make a move to urge upon the belligerent nations the desirability of accepting their good offices with a view to finding a pacific solution of the dispute and that it seemed highly unwise to wait until September with any hope that the League of Nations would be able to take effective action at such time. Dr. Lopez was advised that this Government, as it had frequently stated in the past, was always ready to cooperate in any movement looking towards a peaceful solution of the controversy provided that such movement seemed to hold promise of success and further that such a move met with the consent of the two parties to the controversy. He was further informed that this Government inclined to the belief that the dispute had now reached a stage where it affected the interests of all of the Republics of the Continent and that the solution of the dispute was necessarily a matter of joint concern to the American Republics and implied a responsibility which all should be willing to shoulder. No more specific commitments, however, were made by this Government.

Subsequently, the Department of State received an official invitation from the Government of Peru93 requesting it to cooperate with Colombia and Peru, as well as with the Governments of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico, in promoting a conference to be attended by delegates from those Governments “for the purpose of initiating direct negotiations between Bolivia and Paraguay.” The Peruvian Government stated that “the Bolivian Government have accepted this form of mediation; but the Government of Paraguay, intent mainly upon realizing an immediate demobilization and of obtaining guaranties that would prevent a new attack on their forces, have replied to the President of Peru that the League of Nations mediation is still pending and will practically terminate at the beginning of July when the Council approves the report of the Special Committee.”

This Government has not as yet replied officially to this invitation of the Government of Peru.

In response to a confidential inquiry as to his views in the matter, Dr. Saavedra Lamas has indicated that while in a general sense Argentina will always be ready to cooperate in any effective move towards peace, Argentina finds herself in a peculiar position, since she is a member of the Council of the League of Nations, and has indicated his hope that this Government will agree to a short period of delay before reaching any final decision in order that he might present for our consideration bases for action which contemplate the tender of [Page 137] good offices by Argentina, Brazil and the United States acting in cooperation with the Council of the League of Nations. Dr. Saavedra Lamas has been informed by this Government in reply to his suggestion, that this Government, of course, will await with interest the suggestions which he intends to offer, but that it feels that any prolonged delay will be counter to the interests of the Continent and that from all information received, opinion among the American Republics is now crystallizing very rapidly in favor of an inter-American conference. The views of Dr. Saavedra Lamas and the opinion expressed to him by this Government are transmitted to you solely for your personal and confidential information.

The Department desires you to discuss the general questions involved with the appropriate officials of the Brazilian Government and advise the Department by cable at the earliest opportunity whether the Brazilian Government has received an invitation from the Governments of Colombia and Peru similar to that received by this Government. Please ascertain likewise what the views of the Government of Brazil may be in the matter and advise the Department whether the Government of Brazil will be more inclined to favor an inter-American conference or a conference limited to a smaller number of American Republics and in the latter event, whether it would consider the formula suggested by the Governments of Colombia and Peru more effective than a possible move by Argentina, Brazil and the United States acting in cooperation with the Council of the League. It is important at this time that you make it plain that the Government of the United States has not as yet reached any conclusion with regard to the questions under consideration and that it would greatly value an expression of opinion from the Government of Brazil which it considers of the greatest importance for the purpose of advancing the cause of peace on the Continent through the friendly cooperation of all the American Republics.

Carr
  1. President-elect of Colombia.
  2. Supra.