Office of the Historian

724.3415/299b: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Bolivia (Kaufman)3

Washington, December 19, 1928—6 p.m.

40. At a meeting this morning of a special committee appointed by the conference,4 the following resolution was adopted.

“The Special Committee named by the Conference to inform it fully with regard to the incident which occurred between Bolivia and Paraguay, desires to obtain on its own behalf certain data that are necessary for its report to the Conference and, therefore, asks:

1.
Could each one of the Parties agree to sign a Protocol by virtue of the good offices of the Conference?
2.
What would be the basis of said Protocol?
3.
Would the two Governments name one or more Delegates for a Commission of Inquiry and Conciliation which would be constituted?
4.
Would neutral delegate or delegates be selected by the Conference?
5.
What would be the extent and jurisdiction of said Commission?
6.
Would the Parties bind themselves to cease all concentration of troops on the frontier and all hostilities until the pronouncement of the Commission of Inquiry and Conciliation?
7.
Where would the Commission be convened?
8.
Would the Republics of Bolivia and Paraguay be disposed to renew their diplomatic relations?”

Copies of this were given to the Bolivian and Paraguayan Ministers who are making inquiries of their Governments concerning each of these points.

You will understand the importance of prompt and satisfactory answers to these inquiries so that Committee can advise the Conference and its good offices may be useful to both parties in the interest of peaceful adjustment.

Kellogg
  1. The same, mutatis mutandis, on the same date to the Minister in Paraguay as telegram No. 17.↩
  2. International Conference of American States on Conciliation and Arbitration, held at Washington, December 10, 1928–January 5, 1929; see Foreign Relations, 1928, vol. i, pp. 621 ff. For the proceedings of the conference, see Proceedings of the International Conference of American States on Conciliation and Arbitration, Held at Washington, December 10, 1928–January 5, 1929 (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1939).↩