724.3415/4364: Telegram
The Chargé in Brazil (Gordon) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:44 p.m.]
325. Department’s 173, November 21, 5 p.m. In the course of a conversation on other matters with the Secretary General of the Foreign Office yesterday evening he volunteered the following information:
[Page 113]Bolivian Minister here had just called on Foreign Minister and had appeared quite sanguine as to Bolivia having acquired a much stronger tactical position through Paraguay’s action concerning the Chaco report.
The Bolivian Minister then outlined the solution which he thought the League might adopt if Paraguay refused to accept League plan whereupon the Minister for Foreign Affairs replied that no solution which might be reached without the participation of one of the parties in conflict could put a final stop to hostilities. The Foreign Minister then said that in his view the best hope of definite and final solution lay in procedure of the nature reported in my 318, November 16, 6 p.m., and my 320, November 17, 2 p.m.
The Secretary General said that the Bolivian Minister appeared to acquiesce in this idea and stated that he would report the suggestion sympathetically to his Government. The Secretary General concluded by saying that the Foreign Office also felt that Paraguay would recognize that procedure of this nature would offer the best prospects.
In view of the Department’s instructions referred to above I refrained from any disclaimer or comment of any kind.