835.5151/127a: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Argentina (White)
37. Department’s 30, June 3, 3 p.m. The Argentine Ambassador today expressed to the Department16 his concern regarding representations made by you on the subject of the Argentine exchange restrictions. He showed the Department a cable from the Minister of Foreign Affairs which did not indicate a clear understanding of this Government’s attitude. He pointed out that Argentina was compelled to grant Great Britain the exchange specified in Article 2, clause 1 of the Anglo-Argentine Trade Treaty in view of the fact that Great Britain is practically the only consumer of Argentine beef. He expressed the hope that as Argentina was practically helpless in this regard the United States Government would not take any retaliatory measures and would content itself merely with a formal protest. He was informed that this Government viewed with serious concern any measures which discriminated against American commerce and was obliged to state its definite disapproval.
[Page 744]The Ambassador suggested in confidence that it would be advisable for you to discuss the exchange restrictions with Hueyo, the Minister of Finance, who is much more conversant with this matter than Saavedra Lamas. He inferred that such conversations might, as a practical matter, tend to bring about some alleviation of the difficulties that have arisen under the aforementioned trade treaty.
- The memorandum of the conversation with the Argentine Ambassador is dated June 12 (611.3531/140).↩