810.5151 Williams Mission/32

The Chargé in Uruguay (Dominian) to the Secretary of State

No. 673

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Department’s instruction No. 258 of July 5,14 in which referring to the Department’s telegram No. 30 of July 3, relative to arrangements made with the Federal Reserve authorities for the visit of Mr. John H. Williams, economist of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the Legation is informed that Mr. Williams, accompanied by Mr. Donald R. Heath of the Division of Latin American Affairs of the Department, [Page 654] will arrive in Rio de Janeiro on July 13 and will thence proceed to Buenos Aires prior to returning to the United States by way of the West Coast.

It is gratifying to find that the Department considers it desirable that Mr. Williams should visit Montevideo and be of assistance in the problems arising in Uruguay as a result of exchange control in the country. It is noted also that Mr. Williams himself is anxious to include Montevideo in his itinerary, subject to the limitations in time of leave granted him by the Federal Reserve authorities.

A review of the exchange situation at the present moment leads me to conclude that Mr. Williams’ presence at Montevideo, for part of a day, at least, while on his way to Buenos Aires would be of positive importance. I am enclosing herewith copies of a telegram and a letter addressed to him15 which are self-explanatory regarding the value of not omitting Montevideo from his itinerary. His visit, should he decide to make it, will be all the more useful in view of the conversations on problems of exchange which have taken place between Minister Wright and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and which I am carrying on since Mr. Wright’s departure. As steamers proceeding to Buenos Aires by way of Montevideo usually stop over during a great part of the day in this city, it is believed that the enforced stay in the capital will provide Mr. Williams with sufficient time to meet the leading officials and business men here who are dealing with the exchange problems of Uruguay. Care will be taken to provide him with the necessary contacts within the duration of his stay, and the Department will be kept informed of developments as they arise.

Respectfully yours,

Leon Dominian
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