711.3512Anti-War/8

The Ambassador in Argentina (Bliss) to the Secretary of State

[Extracts]
No. 378

Sir: Confirming my telegram No. 56 of August 31, 12 midnight,50 quoting in translation the note received that day from the Minister for Foreign Affairs acknowledging the receipt of the one I handed him in accordance with the Department’s circular telegram of August 16, 12 midnight, relative to the signing of the Multilateral Anti-War Treaty, I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of the said note, together with a translation.

I have the further honor to transmit a number of newspaper editorial comments on the Multilateral Treaty, some accompanied by translation and others by brief summaries.50

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

As the Department’s circular instruction of August 16 gave no in-instruction or intimation that I was to do more than deliver its note to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, I have refrained from urging the Minister to act favorably on the opportunity offered to become a party [Page 185] to the treaty, but I have advanced the obvious arguments in favor of Argentina’s adhering to it. However, in conversation with various prominent Argentines, who have brought up the subject, I have called attention to the statement in Dr. Gallardo’s note in answer to mine (both of which have been published here) that the principle of the pacific settlement of international conflicts has always inspired the conduct of Argentina in its foreign relations, and I have expressed the opinion that failure to adhere to the treaty would appear to be a negation of that very principle which the Minister has emphasized.

I shall continue to keep the Department informed of any further important developments regarding the Multilateral Treaty, but I have no expectation that anything further will be done by this Administration, unless the Argentine Congress should take the initiative in requesting information on the matter.

I have [etc.]

Robert Woods Bliss
[Enclosure—Translation]

The Argentine Minister for Foreign Affairs (Gallardo) to the American Ambassador (Bliss)

Mr. Ambassador: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note No. 124, of the 27th instant, in which Your Excellency kindly informed me that the Governments of Germany, the United States of America, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, the Irish Free State, India, Italy, Japan, Poland and Czechoslovakia had signed that day a Treaty which obligated them to renounce war as an instrument of national policy in the relations between them, and to secure only by pacific means the arrangement or solution of all differences which might arise between them. Your Excellency was also good enough to communicate to me officially the text of the said Treaty, in Article 3 of which there is decreed the manner and conditions of adhesion for those countries which were not original signatories thereof.

The Argentine Government is pleased to take note of the auspicious act by which there has been consecrated in a treaty of this importance the principle of the pacific settlement of international conflicts, which has always inspired the conduct of the Argentine Republic in its foreign relations.

The Executive Power will hasten to inform Your Excellency of the resolution which may be adopted regarding the said treaty, which it will consider with the sympathy and interest which our country has professed for all initiatives tending to the maintenance of peace.

I renew [etc.]

Angel Gallardo
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