825.00 Revolutions/159: Telegram
The Ambassador in Chile (Culbertson) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 18—1:50 a.m.]
135. In an informal conversation this afternoon, invited by Dávila, I raised in one way or another the several points of your telegram 49, July 16, 3 p.m. On political stability he said that he had opposed asking for recognition until he felt secure, as he now does; that the supporters of Ibañez either have or are about to give him their cooperation and that Ibañez will be made Minister at Berlin when Germany recognizes; that some of the Conservatives will be on the commission to prepare for the Constituent Assembly and to draft the new electoral law; that Alessandri [is] a trouble maker but not to a serious extent since some of his followers are with the present regime.
Measures referred to in the Minister’s note relate to the elections for the Constituent Assembly to be held in October. All available information on the subject has been transmitted in my despatches including those which will arrive by air mail next Wednesday. Dávila’s desire is that political representation be given to trade [Page 466] unions and other economic groups but not to abandon entirely the orthography [geographic?] bases of the representation now provided for under Chilean law. At present no one can foretell the details of the new political order. I believe, however, that when the discussions are over we will find that the changes are not very radical. The margin of power in the hands of a group is too narrow to permit it to impose all its views on the others.
I intimated to Dávila that assurances similar to those given on bank deposits would be helpful on other economic rights and left this suggestion with him in such a way that he can follow it up with a further declaration in case he desires. He said that he thought that the Minister’s note covered adequately the question of the foreign debt. He also commented on the very satisfactory cooperation which now exists between his Government and the management of Cosach.