711.00 Statement July 16, 1937/65: Telegram
The Ambassador in Argentina (Weddell) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:57 p.m.]
118. The Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs telephoned the Embassy last night that his Government had been informed that a communiqué emanating from the Brazilian Government65 had just been given to the press supporting Secretary Hull’s declaration of July 16 and that the Minister for Foreign Affairs wished to inform me that his memorandum which I quoted in my telegram 116, July 29, 3 p.m., was not a “declaration” and should not be published.
The Under Secretary was informed that since the Embassy understood in pursuance of the Department’s circular telegram of July 28, 2 p.m., that Department of State desired to assemble all declarations received and to publish them together, publication of his memorandum at this time seemed most unlikely. The Under Secretary seemed reassured by this, but this morning invited me to call on the Minister Tuesday66 to discuss the matter which I shall do.
It now seems fairly evident that as my delivery of the text of the July 16 declaration coincided with the completion of the draft of the proposed asylum convention, the Minister sought in his memorandum to trade a public indorsement of your declaration for our adherence [Page 738] to his convention and that the news of the action of the Brazilian Government caused him to fear publicity for his memorandum thus forcing his hand as set forth above.
Local newspapers carry this morning the text of Uruguay’s reply67 to the Hull declaration setting forth its substantial accord.