The Secretary of State to the Argentine Minister.
Washington, June 13, 1911.
memorandum.
In the memorandum of the Argentine Legation, dated June 9, 1911, the Department of State is made acquainted with information which has been forwarded by the Government of the Argentine Republic to its minister at Washington, that—
the congress, supported by the press of best standing, believes that the menace placed upon the exportation of Argentine flour by the advantages gained by the Government of the United States of America for its flour imported into Brazil has brought occasion for the Argentine Government to defend itself by increasing the import duties on petroleum, lumber, and other staples of American imports.
The Department of State takes cognizance of the statement of the memorandum that to the end that the threatened retaliations by the Argentine Congress may be checked, the Argentine Government, desiring to eliminate any cause of misunderstanding that could mar the sympathy and friendship existing between the Government and the people of the Argentine Republic and the Government and the people of the United States, seeks to obtain from the Government of the United States a formal declaration to the effect that it has no thought of endeavoring to obtain from the Government of Brazil greater concessions with respect to flour than those now existing.
On its part the Government of the United States is equally desirous of continuing unimpaired the cordial relations and friendly intercourse which it has been its constant aim and endeavor to maintain with the Argentine Republic. For this reason, and in no way influenced by the threat of hostile legislation by the Argentine Congress, the Government of the United States has no hesitancy in declaring, especially in view of the voluntary promise of the Argentine Government to prevent legislation inimical to American interests and commerce, that it has no present thought of seeking from the Government of Brazil greater concessions with respect to American flour than those that the Government of Brazil in consideration of its own economic interests has already been pleased to grant. To this declaration the Government of the United States is glad to add the assurance that should circumstances now unforeseen arise to change this situation, the Government of the United States, following [Page 33] its wish to deal fairly with the Government of the Argentine Republic, will give to that Government six months’ notice before negotiating with Brazil for greater preferential treatment of American flour, in order that full and seasonable opportunity may be given for an amicable discussion between the Argentine and United States Governments to adjust any questions that such negotiations with the Government of Brazil might be thought to interject into the trade relations between the Argentine Republic and the United States of America.