724.3415/3105
Memorandum by the Chairman of the Commission of Neutrals (White)
The Argentine Ambassador called and showed me two telegrams from his Government, one of some days ago, asking that this Government join with Argentina and Chile in making representations to Bolivia. I explained to the Ambassador that we had gotten a telegram in this sense on the twentieth instant from our Embassy in Santiago, Chile,86 but that I had been ill ever since and had not been able to act on it. I stated that in the meantime the Argentine and Chilean Governments had taken action independently and that Bolivia had replied rejecting their proposal and was very much upset at the implication made that Bolivia be considered responsible for rejecting the Mendoza formula, the implication being that in doing so Bolivia would be taking responsibility for the continuation of hostilities. I said that as a matter of fact both countries had taken such responsibility at various times. Paraguay had certainly done so in rejecting the Neutral proposal of December 15. I said that I could see no good to come out of pursuing the matter further on the basis of the Mendoza formula at this time through formal action. I repeated what I had told him over the telephone when I was ill, namely, that this Government is willing to cooperate in sounding out informally the Bolivian and Paraguay Governments with a view to formulating a proposal which might be accepted by both parties, but that in making any formal representations we would not want to act independently of the Neutrals as the five Neutrals have acted in close cooperation during a period of over three years.
Mr. Espil showed me the second telegram just received from his Government saying that in answer to the Bolivian objections the Argentine Government had intimated to Bolivia that it was ready to withdraw from any action in connection with the Chaco. I told Mr. Espil that I thought there was no possibility of finding a solution as long as negotiations were carried on in the slipshod manner in which they have been carried on. In this present instance Brazil apparently acted on its own a week or more before Argentina and Chile had acted; then those Governments had acted, and Peru has taken no action whatsoever. I told him that I thought the way out might be found by having the Neutrals and the neighboring countries agree in advance on what they would do and then all do it at the same time as acting on different, even though analogous, lines would not bring about the solution we all want. The Ambassador said that he fully agreed.