Office of the Historian

824.01/64: Telegram

The Ambassador in Chile (Philip) to the Secretary of State

Santiago, July 20, 1937—6 p.m.
[Received 10:40 p.m.]

39. Department’s 30, July 19, 7 p.m. In the absence of the Foreign Minister I communicated this afternoon to the Under Secretary the gist of the instructions.

[Page 268]

With regard to action by the several mandatory countries Señor Vergara22 said that the receipt yesterday of information from the Chaco Peace Conference at Buenos Aires that the various members were in accord, the Chilean Government instructed its representative at La Paz to hand to the Acting Bolivian Foreign Minister this evening, the 20th instant, a note in the following general sense: “Chile will be glad to continue its official relations with the existing Government as had been maintained with that of Señor Toro, in consideration of the statement by Colonel Busch of the intention of his Government to honor its international obligations”. Vergara continued that Chile does not consider any other formality of recognition necessary but that it is of the opinion that the withholding of this step might weaken the prestige of Colonel Busch and so precipitate a more regrettable situation than now exists.

Brazil and Peru have already presented notes to the Bolivian Government on the above lines.

Respecting the stability of the present Bolivian Government, Chile regards its future as uncertain. Without question Colonel Busch lacks the support of the army as a whole. Lacking also the character and stability of Señor Toro he is at the same time a courageous and energetic person but capable possibly of rashness in order to overcome opposition. The political situation throughout the country is most involved and the people generally are restless. Señor Vergara sees in this situation a possible resumption of hostilities in the Chaco should dissensions in the army impel the Government to such a measure in order to maintain its predominance. It appears that Colonel Busch has established political relations with former President Saavedra who is now in Chile with the obvious purpose of gaining the support of the latter’s partisans.

Philip
  1. Germán Vergara Donoso, Chilean Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs.↩