File No. 763.72/6180
The Ambassador in Chile ( Shea) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9.21 p.m.]
Your cipher telegram August 2, 6 p.m.1 Referring to my despatch of July 3. Conversation therein referred to occurred with’ Minister Huidobro. The Cabinet resigned almost immediately. The Tocornal cabinet which followed lasted only seven days before tendering resignation, but is still in office due to inability of political parties to agree upon internal affairs in which they are completely absorbed, measuring every act by its probable effect upon the coming elections. Yesterday the Minister for Foreign Affairs informed me that if our fleet should come to Chilean waters it would be received as a friendly visitor and treated as well as anywhere else. I discreetly gave him an opportunity to say an invitation would be extended of which he did not take advantage.
High officials here have expressed the opinion that an invitation extended by Chile would amount to an abandonment of neutrality, a step they are not yet ready to take. The Subsecretary of State for Foreign Affairs assumes an attitude of indifference with respect to visit of the fleet. The one newspaper that has discussed possible visit recommends the Government to adopt a resolution with regard to it in accord with principles of Americanism evidenced by action of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina.
- Not printed.↩