611.3231/976: Telegram
The Chargé in Brazil ( Gordon ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:15 p.m.]
176. My 167, June 29, noon. While I regret to state that there has been no concrete progress in the Chamber towards ratification of the trade agreement since sending my telegram under reference, I am glad to be able to report that the Foreign Minister has given more evidence of realizing the necessity of lining up influential members of both Chambers of the Brazilian Congress. I know that he has summoned quite a few of these to the Foreign Office in the last 10 days and at the final interview with him which I have just had he told me of another conference of this nature which he is having tomorrow.
He feels that there will be no trouble whatsoever in the Senate and still professes complete confidence that when it comes to a vote the Chamber will have a safe majority for ratification.
[Page 306]He said that in view of the many over-optimistic estimates as to the time within which the agreement could be ratified which he knew had been given me, he was loath to give me another estimate; but upon my again requesting him to give me at least his approximate views in the premises he replied that he would go so far as to say that he had high hopes that the agreement would be ratified within a month from now.
At luncheon yesterday I had a favorable occasion to converse with both the majority leader in the Chamber, Raul Fernandes, and the President of the Senate having in mind of course the Department’s 98 of May 28, 6 p.m., and 105 June 10, 5 p.m. They both agreed that it was definitely to Brazil’s advantage to ratify the agreement and professed, in spite of the opposition in the Chamber, to feel confident of ratification.