File No. 763.72/7541
Memorandum of the Chief of the Division of Latin-American Affairs of the Department of State ( Stabler)
The Peruvian Chargé d’Affaires called at the Latin-American Division this morning and left with Mr. Stabler a memorandum2 in [Page 355] which it was stated that the Argentine Government had approached the Government of Peru, setting forth its project to assemble an American congress at Buenos Aires for the purpose of reaching an understanding on the subject of the war, if the consent of the United States were obtained, to meet the first fortnight in January 1918; that the Government of Peru desired to know the opinion of the Department of State in the matter, and whether the American Government would attend the congress, which wishes to proceed in harmony with the United States.
Mr. Stabler informed Mr. Freyre that he would discuss the matter with the Secretary and would later inform him as to the Secretary’s views.
Mr. Stabler then spoke with the Secretary of State and read him the memorandum left by the Chargé d’Affaires. The Secretary instructed Mr. Stabler to inform Mr. Freyre that in view of the fact that no representations had been made to the Government of the United States by the Argentine Government in this regard, it was obvious that the Department of State could express no opinion on the matter.
The views of the Secretary of State, as outlined above, were telephoned to Mr. Freyre who asked that he be informed when the United States was in a position to give him a definite statement in this matter, and also, if it were possible, to be informed when the Argentine Government presented its proposal to the Government of the United States. Mr. Stabler said he would so inform the Secretary.
- Not printed.↩