724.3415/1429: Telegram
The Ambassador in Chile (Culbertson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:35 p.m.]
128. Minister for Foreign Affairs received confirmation of the invitation [sic] of Bolivian Chief of Staff to make war on Paraguay, latter’s argument being that it is cheaper than the armed peace. Minister for Foreign Affairs sent several telegrams to La Paz urging Bolivia to attend conference at Washington and to restrain troops. He stated he has now a definite reply that Bolivia has yielded. He is now working on Paraguay.
Minister for Foreign Affairs said that Peru, Argentina and Brazil had cooperated in making vigorous representations at La Paz and that Chile and Peru had threatened to close the Pacific to Bolivia in case she went to war.
I have had no idea of connecting officially my trip to Paraguay and La Paz with the Chaco dispute but the Minister for Foreign Affairs today said that he had heard of my projected trip and said emphatically that my presence in Paraguay would help very much to [Page 765] advance the settlement. You are in a better position than I to judge whether I could be helpful. I will appreciate instructions on the basis of my despatch 970, September 23rd, and 987, October 9th,97 which will arrive at the end of this week.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs has been very active and you may think that a personal word of thanks to him may be in order.
- Neither printed.↩