File No. 763.72/5782d
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Chile ( Shea)
In a recent interview, in reply to the request of the Chilean Ambassador for information as to how this Government felt regarding the position taken by Chile, the Department stated to him that the question as to what action that country should take was for her to decide; that this Government was of course gratified at the course taken by Brazil. In reply to his question as to whether Chile would be of use in making peace as neutral, the Ambassador was told that probably no neutral nation could be of any service now in making peace as neutrals. To his question whether Chile would be more useful in or out of the war, as far as peace was concerned, he was informed that it would seem that the more people came into the war against the Central powers the sooner it would be over.