724.3415/3988: Telegram
The Ambassador in Brazil (Gibson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:30 p.m.]
160. Department’s 96, August 4, 2 p.m. I had on my own responsibility already outlined the substance of the Department’s views but was glad to be able to confirm them by reading your telegram to the Foreign Minister this afternoon. He was obviously gratified.
He informed me (1) that he had today sent the Brazilian Chargé d’Affaires in Washington a telegram outlining substantially the same views in regard to this question so that there was no doubt of our complete understanding.
[Page 166](2) That he was today sending a telegram to the Brazilian Ambassador in Buenos Aires instructing him to confer with his American colleague and in full understanding with him to inform Mr. Saavedra Lamas definitely that Brazil was in favor of extending the invitation to include the nine powers.
(3) That he was about to hand the Argentine Ambassador here a memorandum informing him that (once the Argentine formula had been accepted by the two parties) Brazil was definitely in favor of inviting the other powers in question to join in the work of conciliation. He stresses as the essential argument the fact that after proclaiming peace on this continent to be a matter of general American concern, any attempt to retain control by the three powers might well be regarded as an effort on their part to dominate affairs in this hemisphere. As I understood it he contented himself with that one argument.
(4) The Chilean Ambassador had just handed him a memorandum containing the text of the note addressed to the Paraguayan Government announcing the withdrawal of the Chilean Minister.16 As I assume the Department will receive this from the Chilean Ambassador in Washington I shall not telegraph the text unless so instructed.
It is felt here that this action is regrettable as at a time when all efforts should be centered on conciliation Chile has created a fresh complication which does not facilitate her being asked to serve as a conciliator. The Minister for Foreign Affairs made no carefully formulated comments to the Chilean Ambassador but stressed the desirability of forbearance and moderation in the general interest and expressed the hope that a definite rupture would be avoided.
(5) Some annoyance was expressed at what was considered a rather crude effort on the part of the Argentine to get Brazil to espouse the Argentine point of view and thus face the United States with the choice of acquiescing or being made responsible for the consequences. I cannot judge as to the foundation for this belief but it seems clearly to have made the Brazilians more determined to stick to their guns.
In conclusion the Minister once more stressed the point that he sees eye to eye with us in the present situation and having full confidence in our singleness of purpose he is anxious to be kept as fully informed as possible in order that he may effectively support what we are trying to accomplish.