Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Address of the President to Congress December 5, 1916

File No. 810.74/41

Minutes of the Informal Conference on Radio Communication, Held at the Department of State on Friday Afternoon, January 7th, 1916, at 4.30 o’clock.

Washington, January 7, 1916, 4.30 p.m.

Upon invitation by the Secretary of State, there assembled thirty of the official delegates of the countries participating in the Second Pan American Scientific Congress, representing Guatemala, Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Cuba, Santo Domingo, and Haiti, with the addition of the Ambassador from Brazil, the Honorable Josephus Daniels, Secretary of the Navy, Admiral Benson, U. S. N., Captain Bullard, U. S. N., (Naval Radio Service), Lieutenant Noyes, U. S. N., and two other representatives of the Navy Department. The undersigned acted as secretary and represented the Department of State upon the withdrawal of the Counselor.

The conference was opened by Mr. F. L. Polk, Counselor of the State Department, who stated that the objects of the Department in calling this informal meeting were four-fold:

1. The interest that the Government of the United States has taken in the development of this science;

2. The knowledge that it has obtained from various sources that radio stations erected by European capital or operated and controlled by European countries, have been installed in certain countries of Central and South America;

3. Its conviction that such a situation is replete with possible complications by reason of the fact that unwarranted use of such stations by belligerents in time of war might seriously jeopardize the neutrality of the countries in which the stations are operated;

4. Its belief that the ownership and control of this vitally important means of communication between the American continents should rest in sympathetic hands and should not pass beyond this hemisphere and fall under non-American jurisdiction.

Mr. Polk stated that it was not the desire of the Government of the United States that any formal agreement be entered into at this time, but that should the trend of the discussion so permit, an informal resolution to the above ends might be submitted for the consideration of the delegates, who might then orally express the opinions of their Governments. This discussion might form the basis for a subsequent communication to the respective Governments by means of the Embassies and Legations of the United States, to the end that a more formal agreement be ultimately reached.

It was further suggested that the conference provide:

1. That an agreement be reached that Government controlled stations be rendered available for the use of all the American Governments in case of exigencies demanding united action by them or by the United States of America.

2. That concessions which have been or may be granted to American concerns for the erection and installation of radio apparatus, contain the proviso that they are subject to the same conditions in such circumstances.

The Counselor then stated that as the matter of radio communication was one directly affecting the Navy Department, which had always evinced great interest in the international situation, he considered it appropriate that the further deliberations take place under the Chairmanship of the Secretary of the Navy, in whose favor he then relinquished the Chair.

Secretary Daniels strongly advocated Government control of radio communication in order that the actual control of the stations might be assumed in case of need. His remarks were more or less along the following lines:

The Naval Radio Service, an organization established under the Navy Department, is charged, among other things, with watching the development of the art of radio telegraphy in all parts of the world, and in keeping itself informed of the erection of new wireless stations in foreign territory. Particularly has it interested itself in watching the development in countries comprising the Pan American Union, and believing in the great general principle of America for Americans has taken some steps to call the attention of countries of Central and South America to the growth of the art in this country, and to the desirability of such countries investigating wireless systems that have originated or are controlled in the United States before erecting stations for themselves or granting franchises or concessions to commercial corporations for this purpose.

Some months ago the Navy Department addressed the Department of State along these lines, and inquired if our diplomatic and consular officers in Central and South America could not be charged with the duty of expressing to the various Governments to which they were accredited the hope that before such Governments granted franchises to erect wireless stations to corporations of European countries they would bring to the attention of the proper authorities the advantages to be gained by the installation of apparatus furnished by United States firms or corporations. This proposal met with the hearty approval of the State Department which prepared a circular letter containing these essential facts addressed to our various accredited representatives,¹ and I am pleased to state that the results have been most gratifying. Most of the countries addressed replied favorably to the main proposition, and in certain countries where franchises were sought by outside interests, it is understood such franchises have been held up pending the result of this Conference.

During the correspondence necessary to bring the above facts to the attention of the various countries, the State Department, remembering that the Second Pan American Scientific Congress was shortly to meet in Washington, advanced the idea that it would be extremely desirable to have an interchange of views on the part of the accredited delegates from the various countries sending officials to the Scientific Congress. This proposition too met with entire approval on the part of the countries concerned, with the result that this Conference was made possible and it is now understood there are delegates appointed from twenty republics of Central and South America, and from the character of the personnel, consisting as it does of special delegates or in many cases, of the Ministers of the countries themselves accredited to this Government, it is very evident these Governments have shown a marked interest in the outcome of this Conference, and much will depend upon the result of the deliberations of this Conference so that each delegate may carry home to their respective Governments the general consensus of opinion and be prepared to advise their Governments along the best lines of policy as may be brought out by a free interchange of views.

It is understood that one or two delegates have prepared special papers to be read at this meeting and which I am sure will be listened to with the greatest interest and be given the most careful consideration, but before I call upon those gentlemen, I should like to personally say a few words bearing on the general subject of international radio communication, and will then call upon a representative of the U. S. Naval Radio Service to say a few words, and perhaps he may be in a position to speak of some of the troubles encountered in this country and give some advice which if adopted may prevent a recurrence of similar troubles in other countries.

Captain Bullard of the Naval Radio Service then read a paper strongly advocating governmental control. Remarks upon the paper being called for, the Minister of Uruguay stated that his Government maintained a monopoly of Government control and expressed himself as heartily in accord with Captain Bullard’s recommendations.

Captain Jorge Mery of the Chilean Navy was expected to read a paper but was not present at the Conference, it being understood that his arrival from Chile had been delayed.

Rear Admiral Don Juan A. Martin read a paper written by himself and electrical engineer Dagassan of the Argentine Navy, which is hereto attached, marked Exhibit A.²

No further papers being presented, the Minister of Peru moved that as the instructions of the majority of the delegates had been merely to participate in an informal discussion of this matter, the Secretary of the Navy or of State present to the various Legations of the countries of this Hemisphere the recommendations that it desires to advance, so that the matter may receive the examination and attention that it deserves, and that an interchange of views thereon take place at some future meeting of the Latin American Diplomatic Corps, the results of which would be communicated to the respective Governments. The Minister of Venezuela agreed with the Minister of Peru, the motion was seconded and carried unanimously.

In the course of the remark on this motion, the undersigned stated that the intention of the Secretary of State had been that the meeting should assume exactly the informal character that it was now so fortunately following and that it had been the idea of the Department that the main points to be considered might be crystalized in a resolution along the following lines:

The Governments of the countries of the Western Hemisphere being convinced that, for the purpose of undisturbed intercommunication and for national protection, the maintenance, operation, and control of radio communication between them should rest wholly in sympathetic hands and not pass beyond this Hemisphere and under the jurisdiction of European or Asiatic interests, have agreed, in an informal conference held for that purpose, in the Department of State of the United States of America, on January 7, 1916, that:

1. All radio telephonic or telegraphic stations which have been, or may in future be erected, maintained or operated under governmental control, shall, in case of exigencies demanding unison of action for national defense, be immediately rendered available for such services as the Government may demand.

2. That all contracts entered into, or to be in future entered into, between the Governments and private American concerns for the erection or installation of radio telephonic or telegraphic apparatus contain the provision that such stations shall be immediately rendered available for the use of the respective Governments in case of the exigencies hereinbefore referred to.

As the temper of the conference was apparently against such action until the matter had received further examination and study, he was happy to defer to the motion of the Minister of Peru.

Before adjournment, Captain Bullard explained that the attitude of the Navy Department in favor of Government control should not be considered as necessarily prohibiting the entrance of reputable American Wireless companies in the field, and trusted that its attitude should not occasion conflict with any concessions which may have been granted to such companies or which may be at present under consideration. (This referred to the desire of the Federal Holdings Company to enter the South American field, who have already secured a concession in the Argentine Republic and expect to receive one in Uruguay.)

There being no further discussion, the Secretary of the Navy declared the meeting adjourned with the understanding that recommendations of the Navy Department would be submitted to the respective Legations at the earliest moment possible.³

The names of the delegates are on file in the Department of State.

A digest of the attitude of the participating countries, compiled from reports from the American Embassies and Legations in the respective capitals is hereto attached, marked “Exhibit B”,²

J. Butler Wright, Secretary

1. For. Rel. 1915, p. 24.
2. Not printed.
3. See Circulars, p. 5.
2. Not printed.