Office of the Historian

724.3415/1820 11/15

Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (White)

[Washington,] July 25, 1932.

The Argentine Ambassador called and showed me a telegram from his Government saying that the Brazilian Ambassador had suggested joint action by Argentina and Brazil to prevent war between Bolivia and Paraguay. The Minister of Foreign Affairs said that he had replied that Argentina was disposed to do so; that he thought they could be most effective at present by insisting that Bolivia and Paraguay continue the negotiations in Washington and, if for any reason they are unable to come to an agreement on a pact of non-aggression, that the new situation thus created be submitted to the Neutral Commission also.

I showed Mr. Espil the telegram we had just received from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia11 and the draft reply which the Neutrals were about to sign.12 He said that he supported this telegram and that he would tell his Government that the Neutrals were doing everything they possibly could; that they were sending a further telegram to Bolivia today, and that he would urge his Government to back it up with good advice in La Paz and Asunción.

F[rancis] W[hite]
  1. Telegram No. 840, July 24, p. 36.↩
  2. See telegram to the Bolivian Minister for Foreign Affairs, July 25, p. 37.↩