810.34 Leasing/4: Telegram

The Ambassador in Argentina (Weddell) to the Secretary of State

128. For the Secretary and Under Secretary. Department’s circular August 9, 6 p.m. I today communicated to the Minister for Foreign Affairs6 its pertinent contents. The Minister inquired whether I was merely informing him or whether I desired his comments. I replied that I felt sure you would wish to have the frank expression of his opinion.

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The Minister then said that the proposal of our administration as reported in newspaper despatches had caused a deep impression here and that he greatly regretted it, considered it a bad business and prejudicial to our policy in the Americas. He said he had been discussing the matter with the President and that he rather thought that Argentina would have to set up a Council of National Defense if the proposed leasing of destroyers should take effect in the case of Brazil since it would destroy existing naval equilibrium in this hemisphere.

The Minister said further that he had always tried to envisage our problems from our standpoint and had looked to us to carry the banner of high ideals and that this made him doubly regretful over what we proposed to do.

I inquired what he thought Brazil could do if we refused such help, assuming as I did that its statement of its fears was sincere, to which he replied that Brazil could look to all of America for her defense against European aggression, citing the case of Uruguay during the World War when assurances were given the Government of that country that all the resources of Argentina would be at its disposal in case of attack by Germany. He remarked in this connection that the financial resources of Argentina just now were very great.

In conclusion the Minister said that he would weigh the matter further and would be glad to give me a further expression of his opinion later.

Weddell
  1. Carlos Saavedra Lamas.