832.00 Revolutions/354
Memorandum by the Assistant Chief of the Division of Latin American Affairs (Matthews) of a Conversation With the Second Secretary of the French Embassy (Bousquet)
Mr. Bousquet called this afternoon and showed me a telegram which he had just received from the French Foreign Office to the effect that the French felt that for humanitarian reasons, in view of the seriousness of the revolution in Brazil, the sale of arms to both sides should be stopped. The telegram instructed the French Embassy to ascertain whether this Government would be willing to associate itself with other Governments in preventing provisionally the exportation of arms, either of Government or of private manufacture, destined for either the Government or the rebels in Brazil. The telegram added that the French Government has already taken steps to prevent the exportation of Government manufactured arms to either side in Brazil, but not those of private manufacture.
I showed Mr. Bousquet the text of the convention signed at Habana on the rights and duties of states in the event of civil strife,4 and gave him a copy thereof at his request. I pointed out that this treaty, which is in force between the United States and Brazil, obligated us to prevent the shipment of arms to the revolutionists. I said that as regards the shipment of arms to the Federal Government, that would seem to involve an important question of policy and that I could not therefore give him a definite answer. I added that I personally felt that we would probably not be able to agree to such a step. I then consulted Mr. E. C. Wilson, who buzzed Mr. White. It was agreed that in order to dispose of the matter finally I should reiterate to Mr. Bousquet our position with respect to the shipment of arms [Page 415] to the rebels, and should say that as regards the Federal Government we felt that to prevent the export of arms would be contrary to our practice in such cases and would hardly be considered a friendly act toward a Government which this Government recognizes and with which it enjoys cordial relations. This I explained to Mr. Bousquet; he took notes and repeated it after me to make sure that he understood our position.
- Signed February 20, 1928, Foreign Relations, 1928, vol. i, p. 612.↩