724.3415/4823: Telegram

The Chargé in Brazil (Gordon) to the Secretary of State

113. My 109, April 29, 9 p.m. [a.m.]25 Following is text in translation of Brazilian note of reply dated May 1st delivered to Ambassadors of Argentina, Chile, Peru and myself this morning; the Foreign Office invested the occasion with considerable ceremony:

“It was with the greatest satisfaction that I received day before yesterday from your hands and in the presence of the Ambassadors of Argentina, Chile and Peru the collective note in which the Governments thus represented solicit for the Chilean-Argentine negotiations on behalf of the reestablishment of peace between Bolivia and Paraguay and as ‘an essential factor in assuring their successful termination’ the cooperation of Brazil.

2.
The Brazilian Government could not remain indifferent to the fraternal manifestation of the countries which have just testified in such a highly significant manner to the unfailing fidelity of Brazil to the ideals of peace and strict respect for the legitimate interests of the belligerents.
3.
In view of such a moral guarantee, so elevated and noble, in the affirmation of which even the belligerents have associated themselves, the Brazilian Government desires nothing more than ‘to join with all in the common effort to assure lasting peace to the American Continent furthering a just and equitable solution of the tragic controversy between the sister republics of Bolivia and Paraguay’.”

The Department will note that the quotations in the Brazilian note do not follow precisely the text of our collective note to which they purport to refer.

[Page 46]

Along with the note there was delivered a summary of a telegram sent yesterday to the Brazilian Embassies in Washington, Santiago, Lima and Buenos Aires, and their Legations in Asunción and La Paz which brought up again the suggestion of having a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Bolivia and Paraguay and the point concerning the inclusion of the United States in the economic conference and Uruguay in the political (see my 105, April 25, 2 p.m.26). I assume that Aranha has communicated this telegram to you.

Gordon
  1. It read: “Note will be delivered at 11 o’clock this morning.” (724.3415/4816)
  2. Not printed.