724.3415/4202: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Brazil (Gibson)
139. Your 250, September 28, 3 p.m.63 The Department received yesterday from the Bolivian Minister a memorandum63 communicated by instruction of his Government in which it was stated with regard to the recent declarations of the Bolivian delegate to the League of Nations that “The Bolivian Foreign Office is informed that these statements were made in a manner forced by unexpected circumstances without the delegate having had sufficient time to deliberate regarding his attitude”. The memorandum concludes with an expression of regret that these declarations may have given offense to the Government of the United States “whose honesty and impartiality it is a pleasure to [Page 91] acknowledge once more—and proof of which acknowledgment is found in the insistent efforts which the Government of Bolivia is making in order that the United States may form part of whatever body is organized for the purpose of bringing about peace between Bolivia and Paraguay.”
You may communicate these statements to the Minister for Foreign Affairs who, it is assumed, will receive a similar statement from the Bolivian Government.
It would seem premature in view of this … statement on the part of the Bolivian Government to determine upon the course of procedure at this moment. The reported appointment by the League committee of a subcommittee of conciliation composed exclusively of American states and the as yet uncertain attitude of Argentina with regard thereto, makes it highly desirable to await the outcome of these present developments before reaching any final decision as to policy. You may, of course, state to the Minister for Foreign Affairs that this Government will consult fully with the Government of Brazil before reaching any determination in this regard.
I incline to the views expressed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs as reported in paragraph 4 of your cable and the arguments advanced in your paragraph 5 have been repeatedly used in our conversations with the Bolivian Minister here.
Please cable the Department whether in your judgment, should a subcommittee composed exclusively of American states undertake to hold a conciliation conference with representatives of the two belligerents in Buenos Aires, the Government of Brazil would be disposed to appoint a representative to cooperate in such conciliation endeavors together with the representatives of the other American states forming part of such subcommittee.