710.11/211½

The Secretary of State to President Wilson

My Dear Mr. President: As I telephoned you yesterday I took up the matter of the general Pan-American treaty with the Argentine Ambassador on the 20th, handing him the revised form which we had agreed upon—a copy of which I enclose.13 At the time he said that there would be, he feared, considerable objection to the arbitration provision in the second article in that it placed a time limit upon the settlement of disputed territorial claims.

The following day he sent me a counter-draft which I enclose for your consideration.13 I do not think that the terms of article two meet the essential feature of amicable settlement of disputes which the original draft covers by providing arbitral proceedings. I do think, however, that there is something to be said as to the removal [Page 489] of the time limit since it might prevent objection particularly from Chile.

I shall endeavor to see the Chilean Ambassador today or tomorrow in regard to this matter and would like your comments on the Argentine Ambassador’s counter-draft as soon as you can conveniently give them to me.

Faithfully yours,

Robert Lansing
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