811.113 Senate Investigation/31: Telegram
The Ambassador in Brazil (Gibson) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 15—2:55 p.m.]
223. My 222, September 14, 5 p.m. Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sought to moderate press comment in regard to present Senate investigation of arms traffic and has succeeded in having some news despatches withheld through voluntary action of the press. However, there is definite resentment at the publication of names in connection with accusations of corruption which have not been substantiated.
Minister of War22 has considered it necessary to reply to press inquiries with formal statement that he can guarantee there have been no irregularities since he has been in office but that he proposes to make careful examination into what has happened before.
It is clear from statements made by various officials that from now on Americans seeking to make sales of armaments or other materials to the Brazilian Government will work at a disadvantage inasmuch as officials feel that merely by dealing with American commercial representatives they will be laying themselves open to the possibility of having their integrity brought in question by the Senate.
Perhaps if the Committee realized the harm that is being done to legitimate American business interests it would find it possible to evolve some other method of conducting the investigation up to the point where improper practices are established.
- Gen. Pedro Aurelio de Góes Monteiro.↩