765.84/4051: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State
Geneva, April 8,
1936—noon.
[Received April 8—11:50 a.m.]
[Received April 8—11:50 a.m.]
101. Latin American representatives inform me in confidence as follows:
- 1.
- The Ecuadorean Government has presented a note to the Italian Government, a copy of which it is understood will be officially transmitted to Secretary General, to the effect that Ecuador’s position is that in view of Italy’s offer of conciliation (Consulate’s 81, March 9, 9 a.m.) sanctions against Italy should be immediately lifted. This is construed in Latin American circles here as meaning at the least that Ecuador in fact is canceling such sanction measures as she has adopted against Italy.
- 2.
- The Mexican Government is understood to be addressing a communication to Vasconcellos9 urging a reenforcement of sanctions against Italy. I am told that the implications lying back of this Mexican position are that if the League fails to pursue a policy of sanctions against an aggressor Mexico will consider her membership in the League without value and may take a public position to this effect.
- 3.
- The Chilean Government is believed to be preparing to express a position in some form in the presumably immediate future that the constitution or the procedures of the League must be shortly revised so as to exclude the participation of Latin American League members in non-American questions and of non-American League members in American questions and that failing such action Chile will consider withdrawing from active participation in the League.
- 4.
- The foregoing is derived from entirely reliable sources and I believe that it represents at least tentative developments along the lines indicated. While certain of these matters will I believe shortly come into the open I must regard them all at this moment as confidential.
- 5.
- I understand that the Italian representative here has called on a number of Latin American delegations among them the Argentine suggesting that the Latin American League states adopt a common front in Geneva advocating the lifting of sanctions against Italy. The Argentines made no reply to this Italian démarche. They inform me that they are acting under their standing instructions respecting sanctions which I have previously reported to the Department and that on their more general relationship to the League their position remains that of supporting the Covenant in line with their obligations [Page 118] while at the same time they are enjoined by Buenos Aires strictly to avoid taking a partisan position in European political contentions.
- 6.
- These developments are creating a violent stir among such Latin American representatives here as are aware of them and thus in my estimate of them I allow for probable exaggeration. I learn however that the more important of the delegations including Argentina have urgently requested instructions from their governments. The private conversations among the Latin Americans take particular note of the positions adopted by the Latin American Council powers at the recent Council sessions in London of which the Department is doubtless cognizant which have been felt here as probably foreshadowing an issue on some basis between the Latin American states and the League. I have reported what I could learn of the background of these London developments in my No. 1650, political,11 mailed today.
Gilbert