810.34 Leasing/33: Telegram

The Chargé in Brazil (Scotten) to the Secretary of State

95. The Minister for Foreign Affairs called me to his office this afternoon and informed me that according to a telegram from Aranha the American Government has decided to leave the destroyer matter in suspense for the moment pending consultation with other governments. He added that, although Brazil knows that all of the other interested Governments, with the exception of Argentina, are favorable to the Brazilian point of view, the Brazilian Government is making appropriate representations to every Government in Latin America, through its representatives in each capital, with a view of having the various representatives of those Governments in Washington inform the State Department in precise terms of their Governments’ approval of the Brazilian point of view. He explained that the Brazilian Government hopes through [this?] means to isolate Argentina. He added that an examination of the juridical arguments, put forward by Saavedra Lamas, has convinced his Government that those arguments are “worthless”; the Foreign Office is giving a communiqué to the press this evening which he is convinced will completely refute those arguments; this statement will be cabled to all Brazilian representatives in the Latin American capitals. (I am informed press associations are telegraphing full text of the communiqué.)

The Minister for Foreign Affairs then added that the question of whether Brazil receives the destroyers or not has become of secondary importance, what is of a great deal more importance to Brazil is the impression which would be created in the rest of the world if Argentina [Page 160] or to put it more exactly one man in Argentina is able to dominate the rest of this continent. The Minister added that he particularly referred to Saavedra Lamas as he does not think that the latter represents the views of Argentina as a whole or of the Argentine Government. He concluded by stating that this whole question has become of “vital importance” to Brazil and that the Brazilian Government sincerely hopes that the United States will carry out what has already been agreed upon with Brazil.

Scotten