825.00 Revolutions/125: Telegram
The Ambassador in Chile (Culbertson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:30 p.m.]
107. Referring to your telegram No. 42, June 23, 6 p.m., since the fall of Montero the de facto Minister for Foreign Affairs has not made even the routine communication to the Diplomatic Corps informing its members of the change of government or of the constitution of the de facto Ministry. This failure has been commented upon by my colleagues with some surprise but the Minister told me today that the rapid changes and disturbed conditions had made it seem best to them to delay sending out such a communication. He said that perhaps in the near future such a letter would be sent and some statement issued on the attitude of the Junta toward foreign interests. Following the fall of Grove, Dávila at first lost support among the laboring organizations but at least some of the support has returned. The conservatives who begged Dávila for his assistance in the midst of the fight given them by Grove are now against him and in the opinion of the Minister for Foreign Affairs there is no probability at this time of cooperation between Dávila and Montero since that might imply, according to the Minister, a swing too far to the right. Many American businessmen fear Dávila’s socialistic ideas but they regard him as an able and reasonable man who views the problem of Chile in its world setting. A survey of the officers of the Army indicates that they are firm for order and are supporting the Junta. The Minister of National Defense, with whom I talked [Page 455] today, asserts that Dávila has the support of the armed forces. At the same time that I thanked him for the protection already given to American interests I emphasized the responsibility of the authorities to maintain order and to protect Americans and their property.
Personalities will probably change in the present regime but so far as present tendencies indicate there will be no violent transformations and Dávila will remain a dominant factor in the Government. The Minister for Foreign Affairs asserted today with emphasis that the present regime could not accept Ibañez as President but that Dávila would welcome Ibañez cooperation and that such cooperation is a possibility. I also talked today with a leading supporter of Ibañez. On his authority only I may state that the plan is well advanced for cooperation between Ibañez and Dávila. The basis of this cooperation is that Ibañez will return and become Vice President and that Dávila will take a place in the Cabinet from which he can run for the Presidency in the next political elections.
Alessandri took refuge in the Spanish Embassy last Tuesday and Wednesday. Spanish Ambassador talked with Dávila who gave him the assurance that Alessandri would not be molested for past activities and Alessandri promised Spanish Ambassador that he would be good. However, the Minister for Foreign Affairs said today that Alessandri is still disturbing the political situation.
The manager of the Braden Copper Company told me that the company had received splendid cooperation from the Government in handling the situation at the mine. Additional troops were sent for protection and the man suggested by the company was named Intendente of the district.
The general opinion is that Dávila will be able to consolidate his position but conferences with my colleagues confirm my judgment that we must wait a few more days in order to determine the real tendencies in the situation. I shall therefore endeavor within a few days to answer further the questions in the Department’s telegram.