723.2515/3387
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (White)
The Bolivian Chargé d’Affaires, Señor George de la Barra, called on the Secretary on Friday morning, May 17, at the latter’s request.
The Secretary advised the Chargé that he called him in to give him the information before it is published that the Tacna-Arica question has been settled. The Secretary added that he was glad also to be able to inform him that the provision regarding the future disposition of the territories and the question of the railways about which Bolivia had protested had, at the instance of the Secretary, been eliminated.
The Chargé expressed his great gratification and said he knew his Government would be very pleased. The Secretary stated that he hoped that the Bolivian Government would remember this service rendered to it by the United States because Bolivia had, more or [Page 803] less behind its back and over its head, gone to the League of Nations not only in this matter but also in the Bolivia-Paraguay boundary matter.
Señor de la Barra said he felt sure that that was merely a supplementary action on the part of his Government which felt that such matters should be settled in Washington and had always looked to the United States for help in the matter. He said that the Minister here especially felt that way and when he had been Minister in Paraguay, long before the recent outbreak between the two countries, he had suggested to Paraguay that the boundary question be brought to the United States for a settlement. The Secretary stated that he had not referred to the Bolivian Minister here particularly but to the Bolivian Government. The Secretary added that it is the firm purpose of this Government to be helpful and deal fairly with all Governments of this hemisphere, and even such action as he had described had not deterred this Government from rendering a friendly service to Bolivia.