724.3415/4117: Telegram
The Ambassador in Brazil (Gibson) to the Secretary of State
Rio de
Janeiro, September 13, 1934—6
p.m.
[Received September 14—3:28 a.m.]
[Received September 14—3:28 a.m.]
218. Foreign Office has shown me telegram from Brazilian Ambassador Buenos Aires dated September 11, 8 p.m. but so garbled that it had to be repeated and was available only today.
- 1.
- Ambassador advised that Lamas informed him that the Paraguayan Minister was “irritated at the Bolivian proposal”. This is understood by the Foreign Office here to refer not to the Legation’s [Page 201] suggested modifications of the seven bases, but to the Bolivian memorandum which would appear to indicate that Lamas had also communicated this document directly to Paraguay without previous consultation with the United States and Brazil.
- 2.
- Lamas further advised the Ambassador on September 9, 3 p.m. that he thought of making a brief statement to the League on the present state of the negotiations, viz. the acceptance of the proposal without reservation on the part of Paraguay and the modifications proposed by Bolivia, adding that although it was his idea to join with Bolivia in requesting the League to postpone action that Bolivia had declined to take such a step.
- 3.
- Lamas [further stated that as he was now doubtful as to the success of the negotiations he had determined to confine himself to informing the League that in spite of confidential efforts no satisfactory results have as yet been obtained. He said that inasmuch as Argentina was a member of the Council of League it was his duty to communicate at least this information.]36
- 4.
- The Government here is somewhat concerned at a United Press despatch from Geneva to the effect that Argentine delegate had spoken presumably not only for himself but for the United States and Brazil expressing discouragement with the present eruption and the belief that the question should be taken up by the League. Foreign Office has addressed an inquiry to Buenos Aires as to character of the statement made by Cantilo at the same time Brazilian Ambassador in Buenos Aires was instructed to impress upon Lamas desirability of observing the forms of cooperation with the United States and Brazil and at the same time carrying out the general desire of requesting that League withhold action for the present.
- 5.
- … reports that he has definite proof that Peru has sold 4,000 cases of arms and ammunition of Japanese origin to Bolivia, material originally bought by Peru for use in the Leticia conflict. He states he has information that 36,000 cases of similar origin have already gone in Bolivia from Peru. He adds Paraguayan Government is in possession of these facts and the Paraguayan Minister to Peru will immediately upon presentation of his letters of credence deliver a formal protest. It would appear that this may lead to another complication of the general situation.
- 6.
- Paraguayan Secretary here has informed Foreign Office that the forts in question are Sorpresthe [Sorpresa?] and Chanar in the estero region of the Pilcomayo.
- 7.
- The Minister for Foreign Affairs today … told me that unless matters soon took on a better aspect Brazil would probably withdraw [Page 202] from the mediation and have nothing further to do with it unless it were to resolve itself into a Brazilian-American effort. This may be worth bearing in mind in connection with my number 21637 which was prepared before seeing the Minister and which has not been discussed with him.
Gibson