Office of the Historian

724.34119/1489: Telegram

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

[Extract]
Buenos Aires, July 20, 1938—11 a.m.
[Received 1:25 p.m.]

206. From Braden. My 204, July 18, 9 p.m. Formal signing set for Thursday, 3 p.m. The following act was signed 3 a.m., this morning dated July 19 after reciting the place, date and names of Bolivian Minister for Foreign Affairs and delegate; Paraguayan Minister for Foreign Affairs and three delegates; Argentine Minister for Foreign Affairs and two delegates, two delegates of Brazil; and one of other mediatory Governments:

“Their Excellencies the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Bolivia and Paraguay, after the final text of the draft Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Boundaries initialed July 9, 1938 and annexed to this act was read to them, declared in the name of their respective Governments that they gave it full and whole approval and that they [Page 173] were disposed to strengthen it at the time which the Conference might determine.

In faith of which they proceeded to sign the present act, together with the delegates above mentioned.”

My telegram No. 204, July 18, 9 p.m., (section 2), and my despatch No. 706, July 11th.

Due to the inserting of new article I all subsequent articles take the next higher number. References hereafter are to new numbers.

The first paragraph of the preamble is all right. Thereafter as follows:

“The Republic of Bolivia by His Excellency Dr. Eduardo Diez de Medina, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and His Excellency Dr. Enrique Finot, President of the delegation of that country to the Peace Conference;

And the Republic of Paraguay by His Excellency Dr. Cecilio Baez, Minister for Foreign Affairs; His Excellency General Jose Felix Estigarribia, President of the delegation of that country to the Peace Conference, and the delegates Their Excellencies Doctors Luis A. Riart and Efraim Cardozo;

Present in Buenos Aires, et cetera”.

In title and preamble the Department’s translation “boundaries” is preferable to “limits”.

  • Article II number paragraphs following the first as A, B, and C. In paragraph A delete “presented” before “June 24”.
  • Article III third [second] paragraph change tenth word to “II” instead of “I”.
  • Article IV last word is “XI” instead of “X”.
  • Article XII antepenult word is “or” instead of “on”.

Text of treaty is public knowledge but will not be formally released to the press until 3 p.m., tomorrow.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Braden]
Weddell