File No. 763.72111/813
The Minister in Ecuador (Hartman) to the Secretary of State
Quito, November 25, 1914, 9 a.m.
[Received 10 p.m.]
[Telegram]
The Minister for Foreign Affairs has proposed that the diplomatic representatives of all the American Republics promulgate as soon as possible at Washington the following statement: “We declare that in respect to the neutrality of each one of the American nations we are all interested.” While the phraseology can be improved, I think that such a declaration is desirable for two reasons: First, it justifies our attitude recently taken regarding the alleged violating of neutrality by Ecuador and Colombia and thereby stops the criticism which that action aroused in South America; and, second, it is in effect an approval of the Monroe Doctrine.