File No. 763.72/8002
The Ambassador in Argentina (Stimson) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 7, 3.20 a.m.]
The President of Argentina called me to his office this afternoon and conferred with me for over three-quarters of an hour. …
He then went on to say that he wished me to understand his attitude more clearly in regard to Argentina’s international policy, [Page 382] realizing as he did that the sentiment of the United States was becoming less friendly. He then brought up, as he had done at other times, the fact that he had shown great sympathy with the United States when the Government of the United States declared war upon Germany, and that, he had even been accused by the German Government of being unneutral at that time. He then referred, to the Toro case, calling attention to the fact that he had demanded a complete explanation from Germany as well as full reparation; that this had been given as it had been to no other government and that therefore the incident was closed. He added, however, that I should not from this consider his attitude as conclusive; that Argentina might take some conclusive step at any time but that should some such step be taken it could only be a declaration of war. …
He then took up with me the question of the Pan-American congress saying that he greatly deplored the apparent misunderstanding of the Government of the United States of his attitude in this matter. The purpose of such a congress he said was far from hostile to the United States, and to prove this to me he invited me at some near date to visit him again to go over the correspondence on the subject which he possesses. He then asked me whether the United States would attend the congress were an invitation tendered to them, assuring me that he would gladly tender such an invitation. I gave him no definite assurances in the matter, being without instructions from the Department.
He ended by inviting me to come to see him any afternoon without the formality of requesting an audience. His manner throughout was extremely earnest.