834.01/26a: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Argentina (Weddell)
31. Department’s 30, March 11, 6 p.m. In view of the text of Article III of Decree 152, dated March 10, issued by the Paraguayan Government, as reported by the Legation in Asunción and in the American press this morning, which text provides that all activities of a political nature are prohibited for 1 year, the contents of Paragraph 3 in the draft of the proposed identic note would appear to be decidedly inaccurate, and if the paragraph, as now drafted, were contained in any note actually presented it would doubtless give rise to wide misinterpretation and general misunderstanding. While the Department recognizes that this paragraph was inserted at the instance of the Government of Brazil, it is suggested that under present conditions the paragraph be either omitted or rephrased in some manner more in conformity with the facts.