File No. 763.72119/942
The Peruvian Legation to the Department of State
Memorandum
In reply to the Argentine Government’s invitation to attend a Latin-American congress at Buenos Aires, the Government of Peru replied that Peru would gladly attend the congress had she not already traced a well-defined line of conduct in presence of the actual war by such solemn acts as her severance of diplomatic relations with Germany and her declaration to adhere to Pan-American solidarity, based upon the principles proclaimed by the President of the United States.
Despite this refusal, the President of Argentina insisted that Peru should attend the congress, appealing to the ancient friendship which has always existed between Peru and Argentina.
[Page 368]The President of Argentina states that Peru may defend in the congress the doctrine of solidarity with the United States, and obtain thereby a resolution by the congress to the effect that all America should sever relations with Germany as a proof of American solidarity.
The Government of Peru considers that the policy of this continent should be one with the policies of the United States; that in consequence of the attitude of the United States in this war, the Monroe Doctrine must necessarily become firmer and ampler; and that the defense of the United States and all other American nations against German imperialism requires, as an essential condition, a uniform policy throughout the entire continent. The Government of Peru is willing to cooperate most decidedly for the attainment of such a purpose.
As the President of Argentina has declared moreover to the Government of Peru that the Argentine Government is disposed to sever diplomatic relations with Germany, were the congress at Buenos Aires to pass a resolution to that effect, should the Government of the United States deem it convenient to achieve such a result, the Government of Peru could state that it will attend the congress at Buenos Aires, provided the congress deal before all with the question of the severance of diplomatic relations with Germany, and provided furthermore that the Government of Argentina agree to support this proposition.
If the American Government approves of this plan we would attend the congress at Buenos Aires, after having obtained that Bolivia, Ecuador, and Uruguay agree to withdraw from the congress, were the motion to break relations with Germany not approved.
We desire to know the opinion of the United States Government of the subject, in order either to persist in our refusal, or to proceed according to the plan herein outlined.