724.3415/4211: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Brazil (Gibson)
144. Your 254, October 1, 6 p.m. This Government has already upon several occasions made known its determined policy not to accept membership on any League committee or subcommittee dealing with the Chaco problem. The inquiry contained in the last paragraph of the Department’s 139, September 29, 2 p.m., was based upon information received that the Uruguayan Government with the probable support of Chile would attempt to persuade the League Commission to appoint a subcommittee composed exclusively of American states to meet in some South American capital to proceed solely with the task of conciliation and that if this plan were adopted, Brazil [Page 99] and the United States would be requested to cooperate in this effort through the appointment of representatives to sit with the members of the subcommittee although not as members of the subcommittee itself. In that case, of course, any United States representative would function solely under the jurisdiction of his own Government and would not take part in the drafting of any report to the Commission of the League. This development, however, now seems unlikely. You may, however, advise the Brazilian Minister for Foreign Affairs of the reason for the Department’s inquiry and state that this Government would consult with the Brazilian Government prior to reaching any decision as to its action in such contingency.
The Argentine Ambassador here yesterday conveyed a message similar to that communicated to the Brazilian Government and communicated in your 258, October 2, 5 p.m. The Department made a reply similar to that made by the Brazilian Minister for Foreign Affairs. This Government believes that at the present time the best policy to pursue is to await developments and to ascertain specifically what action Bolivia and Paraguay will take in Geneva. The American Consul in Geneva reports this morning69 that the Bolivian Government has designated Costa du Rels as Bolivian plenipoteniary on the Committee and Subcommittee and has at the same time expressed the desire that the United States and Brazil be invited to participate. Paraguay has sent a reply to the League Commission’s invitation reiterating its former stand that a cessation of hostilities with adequate security is a necessary preliminary to any efforts of conciliation but that it is willing to examine the possibility of mediation on the basis of the foregoing. The Subcommittee has addressed a telegram to the Paraguayan Government calling attention to the fact that there is no Paraguayan representative in Geneva; taking note of the Paraguayan declaration made and stating that the Subcommittee is awaiting the decision of the Paraguayan Government. The members of the Subcommittee are leaving Geneva subject to call upon the receipt of a pertinent communication from Paraguay. In view of the situation which has thus developed there would seem to be little probability of League success in conciliation unless the attitude of the Paraguayan Government changes.
- Telegram No. 286, October 2, 9 p.m., from the Consul at Geneva, not printed.↩