724.3415/2425: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Bolivia (Feely)
39. Your 104, October 15, 11 a.m. Neutrals on October 12th requested Bolivian and Paraguayan delegates72 to ask their Governments by telegraph to authorize them to come to a meeting of the Commission of Neutrals to discuss, draw up, and sign with the delegate of the other country an agreement covering the following points: (1) separation of troops in the Chaco; (2) demobilization of the reserve troops of both countries, and (3) reduction and limitation for a stated period of the regular army in both Bolivia and Paraguay.
They were informed that it is understood of course that a commission of neutral military officers will be provided for in the agreement to verify compliance with the above conditions. The agreement should also provide that the controversy between the two countries will be settled solely by arbitration and provide for the opening within a reasonable period, say a fortnight after the signing of the agreement, of negotiations for an arbitral settlement of the Chaco dispute.
[Page 104]Paraguayan delegate on 14th received authorization from his Government in the sense requested. Bolivian delegate still has no such authorization. This proposal would seem to offer the Bolivian Government the pretext you mention to extricate itself from its present dilemma and it is hoped that it will promptly authorize Finot to attend the conference.
- Proposal of October 12 not printed.↩