632.6231/51: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Brazil (Gibson)
75. Your 132, May 25, 6 p.m. Aranha informs me that he has not received a copy of the text of the proposed German-Brazilian Agreement, that he has cabled for such text, but that he believes it may be easier for the Department to be advised of the contents of the agreement, if there as yet exists any draft version of such agreement, through you, since he feels that the Brazilian Foreign Office knowing his own attitude in the matter would be reluctant to cable him a copy.
Until the Department is advised of the text of the proposed agreement, it is, of course, impossible to make any considered representations to the Brazilian Government. It would, however, be desirable for you to intimate at the earliest opportunity to the Minister for Foreign Affairs that the press reports of the nature of the proposed agreement would seem to indicate that the spirit, if not the letter, of the trade agreement between Brazil and the United States, would be endangered by the proposed agreement. You may further say that this Government had believed that Brazil had joined the United States in taking the leadership on this Continent in support of the broad principles of equality of treatment and freedom of commerce and that it would be keenly disappointed to find that the Brazilian Government, in order to achieve what might seem to be apparent momentary [Page 254] advantages, were engaging in the negotiation with other countries of commercial agreements, which would contravene the salutary principles embodied in the Brazilian Trade Agreement with the United States.
If you are able to obtain a copy of the draft of the proposed agreement with Germany, please cable the essential portions to the Department.