723.2515/1499
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Latin American Affairs (White)
Seaport for Bolivia
The Bolivian Minister, Señor Freyre, called on Friday, May 8, to say that as I was familiar with his endeavors not only as Bolivian [Page 363] Minister to Chile and as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bolivia but also in his conversations a year ago with Secretary Hughes to bring about a revision of the Chilean-Bolivian Treaty of 1904, by which Bolivia would obtain a seaport,46 he had called to inquire whether the very last word had been said by this Department in the matter. He remarked that considerable change has taken place in the last year by the rendition of the Award in the Tacna-Arica case and he wanted to know whether something could not be done in this matter.
I told Señor Freyre that I felt the situation was the same as it had been when he conversed with Secretary Hughes a year ago; that the policy of this Government was the same as then stated, namely, that it was always ready to be of service to the countries of this hemisphere in composing their difficulties if requested to lend its good offices by all those concerned. I pointed out that in this case Chile had not asked for our good offices and that I might say as my purely personal opinion that I could not see much likelihood that Chile would want to take up any further matters of this sort while it is now so busily preparing for the coming plebiscite in Tacna-Arica.
Señor Freyre then said that there appeared to be two distinct phases of the matter: First. Whether the United States would use its good offices under certain conditions even should one of the parties not have asked for its intervention, and, second, whether or not the present was an opportune moment to broach the question to Chile. He said that the present was perhaps an inopportune moment. He then inquired whether this Government would be prepared after the holding of the plebiscite of Tacna-Arica to use its good offices to bring about a settlement of this matter.
I replied that I of course could not answer a hypothetical question and state just what the attitude of the Department would be at some future occasion all the circumstances of which could not be known at this time. When the moment arrives the Department will have to make its decision in the light of the conditions as they then exist. The Minister thanked me and withdrew.