724.3415/1831: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Paraguay (Wheeler)
22. In a final endeavor to keep Government from breaking off negotiations, please call Minister of Foreign Affairs’ attention to statements made by him before House of Deputies on June 15, as set forth in the second paragraph on page 10, first two paragraphs page 12, last paragraph page 15, and first paragraph page 16, of enclosure to your despatch No. 451 of June 16.21 His actions in terminating negotiations are directly contrary to these categoric statements to House of Deputies.
It should also be clearly understood that the proposed pact was not drafted by the Neutrals at all. Suggestions of both delegations were put together in a preliminary draft for the object of discussion. At the meeting of Bolivian and Paraguayan Delegations on May 6th this draft was completely gone over, revised, and rewritten by the two delegations themselves and the draft pact as presented on May 7th was the literal word for word copy of the pact as drafted and agreed to by the two delegations on May 6th.
Your 52, June [July] 14, 2 p.m., just received.21 Dept is gratified by Arbo’s statement that Paraguayan retirement need not necessarily close the door to future conferences. If, without giving the Neutrals a chance to take action, Paraguayans withdraw, they will make it most difficult for the Neutrals to take any effective action thereafter. The normal course for Paraguay would have been to complain to the Neutrals regarding Bolivia’s action and ask the Neutrals to obtain explanations and satisfaction from Bolivia. Paraguay however withdrew at once and as soon as the conference is broken up the effectiveness of the Neutrals will certainly be impaired. If delegates withdraw from the conference and sail for their own country at once, with whom are the Neutrals to deal on behalf of Paraguay? Paraguay’s action in this matter and your No. 51 of July 13, 3 p.m.,21 last sentence make it evident that Paraguay is determined to take military measures. It would be well for Arbo and the rest of the Paraguayan Government to weigh carefully the heavy responsibility they will incur by any such action.