832.34/282

Memorandum of Press Conference, June 26, 1937

At the press conference this morning, a correspondent asked the Acting Secretary, Mr. Welles, about the reported cooperation of the United States with Brazil in the construction of the destroyers for the Brazilian Navy. The Acting Secretary said that he had seen the newspaper report, and it was a matter which had been widely discussed in the press for several months, and that there was nothing new or confidential about it. He said that so far as the technical side was concerned the correspondent would have to inquire at the Navy Department. He added that it was his personal understanding that about two years ago the Brazilian Government constructed a navy yard at Rio de Janeiro and had under consideration the building of, he thought, three destroyers. We have had a naval mission there for [Page 377] some time, and they naturally turned to it for advice. At the Brazilian Government’s request we sent down a technical man from the Navy Department to assist in the construction work, simply in a supervisory and consultative capacity. Regarding the supplying of plans for the destroyers, the Acting Secretary went on to say that that is a point on which the Navy Department would have to advise the correspondents, but that he was confident there was nothing confidential. Concerning the purchase of materials in the United States, the Acting Secretary said that there had been no understanding or definite commitment of any kind, but merely an expression of belief by the Brazilian Government that they could more readily purchase in the United States those materials unobtainable in Brazil. The Acting Secretary said he wished to emphasize the fact that the same type of technical assistance would be gladly supplied to any other American Republic asking for it.