Office of the Historian

724.34119/115: Telegram

The Ambassador in Argentina (Weddell) to the Secretary of State

Buenos Aires, August 14, 1935—midnight.
[Received August 15—5:02 a.m.]

178. From Gibson. My 174, August 13, midnight.

1.
Mediatory delegates met Saavedra Lamas at Foreign Office this afternoon to discuss future work of Conference.
2.
The chairman and various delegates have talked with Elío who makes it clear that his present purpose is to force discussions on territorial questions to a deadlock and then demand help Conference to secure reference to arbitration.
3.
Reports received from Argentine, Brazilian and Chilean sources indicate the [that?] political upheavals are imminent in Bolivia, that Elío or any delegate sent to succeed him at this time would be under pressure to think nothing but political situation rather than the question of agreement and that further debates might readily lead to holding up the demobilization which is now proceeding satisfactorily and rather faster than schedule.
4.
In view of the political situation in Bolivia it was considered wiser to abandon the idea of sending Nieto del Rio and Podestá Costa on the visits mentioned in my 174.
5.
It was agreed that for us to acquiesce in Elío’s request for immediate disposal of the territorial question would bring about an [Page 125] early break-up of the Conference, jeopardize the demobilization and prejudice hope of future agreement.
6.
After full discussion it was decided that at Friday’s meeting without the presence of the Paraguayan and Bolivian delegates a full statement would be made of the work of the Committees on Prisoners of War and Responsibility and that the President would read a letter which he has received from Elío stating that he has special instructions not to go on with these two questions and to press for immediate consideration of the territorial question.
7.
In the light of this the Conference will adopt a resolution that, in view of the desires of the Bolivian delegation and the readiness of the Paraguayans to consider the fundamental questions, the mediatory delegates feel the need for a full preliminary study of the documents and information already submitted; that in order to afford them time for this study, no further meetings will be held for a period which will be described in such a way as to make it coincide with the end of the demobilization and the time for the Conference to declare the war at an end. This will, in effect, be an adjournment of a month or 6 weeks but the word recess is avoided in order that the Bolivian and Paraguayan delegations may have no excuse for making difficulties.
8.
The decision of the Conference will be communicated to the Bolivian and Paraguayan delegations by the chairman after the meeting in order that they may have no opportunity to make speeches for home consumption.
9.
The intention to take this adjournment is supposed to be kept secret until formal announcement is made. [Gibson.]
Weddell