724.3415/3022: Telegram
The Ambassador in Chile (Culbertson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:11 p.m.]
57. The Minister for Foreign Affairs85 asked me to transmit to you his earnest wish for active cooperation in the effort to settle the Chaco dispute. Explaining the present status he informed me that Paraguay [Page 310] has withdrawn its reservations but that the Bolivan attitude is still equivocal. If Bolivia delays he believes Paraguay will formally declare war and the other complications may follow including even the possibility of Argentina entering the conflict. Bolivia has made one concession by declaring that its reservation number 5 is not a sine qua non but she does not wish to retire her troops until the zone of arbitration is settled. The Minister emphasized that the acceptance by Bolivia of the Act of Mendoza is the first essential step. Thereupon under the Act a complaint would be assembled immediately at which the Act, with such modifications as might be agreed upon including the determination of the zone arbitration, would be signed and the details of the armistice arranged. The Minister hopes that you will designate a representative to this conference. He urges that our cooperation, which he thinks will be decisive if taken with the ABC countries, take the form of joining Chile and the Argentine in presenting on the same day communications to Bolivia urging it to withdraw its reservations to the Mendoza formula, these communications not to be identic but similar in substance. Argentina has agreed to send such a communication and Brazil has already acted in this sense. The Chilean note to Bolivia would read as follows:
“The Government of Chile which has maintained a close cooperation with the Governments of Argentina, Brazil and Peru in the efforts for a pacific mediation to resolve the conflict in the Chaco believing that since Paraguay has withdrawn the reservations made by it to the Mendoza formula, it is appropriate to call the attention of Bolivia in a friendly manner to the direct responsibility which it would assume for the eventual failure of that effort, and to request it to make manifest in a concrete and definite manner its reiterated aims for peace which will assure the arbitral procedure under the Mendoza formula as well as the immediate cessation of hostilities contemplated therein.”
With only a Chargé d’Affaires in Washington the Minister earnestly requests me to transmit this message to you. He has taken the initiative in making the Act of Mendoza effective and is in a position to reflect the common purpose of the ABC countries. These reasons have overcome my reluctance to act at all and I believe justify me in recommending to you to consider favorably Cruchaga’s suggestions. Two groups of nations, the neutrals and the neighboring countries, have been endeavoring to find a peaceful solution. From the beginning it has been obvious that cooperation between the United States and, with or without the other neutrals, the neighboring countries would greatly enhance the chances of success. An opportunity is now offered to show a generous spirit in advancing a peace move which has its origin in South America.
Our world policies and the President’s liberal policy toward Latin America will gain prestige by this cooperation. If it brings peace [Page 311] we will have credit with the ABC countries for joining to make effective their efforts. If it fails we will at least have gained their good will in support of any effort we may later make in a special conference or otherwise to settle the de facto wars of South America.
- Miguel Cruchaga Tocornal.↩