Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1939, The American Republics, Volume V

760D.61/761

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

No. 198

Santiago, December 9, 1939.
[Received December 15.]

Sir: Referring to my telegram No. 216 of December 5, 1939, and despatch No. 191 of December 5, 1939,⁷ I have the honor to transmit herewith the Spanish text and a translation of the formal communication delivered by Señor Abraham Ortega, Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs on December 6, 1939, to the diplomatic representatives in Chile of Uruguay, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru in reply to their suggestion that Chile associate herself with a protest against Russia’s attack upon Finland. This statement was officially delivered to the press; and is to the effect, as the Department will note, that Chile must remain aloof from European affairs. Its reception by the press has been diverse, but on the whole not very favorable.

Favorable comment has been made, on the one hand, not only by La Hora but also by the important El Mercurio. La Hora speaks of it as one of the most important developments in Chilean foreign policy which has appeared in recent years, and urges that an attitude of detachment from extra-American affairs should always be maintained by this country. El Mercurio refers to it as logical and dignified, since Chile preferably “should take refuge in her Americanism, and show the modesty which becomes her lack of power”. El Frente Popular, the Communist sheet, of course adopts a laudatory attitude in view of its attachment to Russia.

Adverse comment, on the other hand, has been voiced not only by El Imparcial and El Diario Ilustrado, but also by the Government’s own La Nación; and La Critica, La Opinión and El Trabajo, which usually support the Administration in such matters, have maintained a silence which may appear significant. La Nación makes the point that previous aggressions in Europe have been by countries opposed to popular government while Russia has hitherto been considered by the elements now in power here as one of the democratic powers. It also alludes to the fact that the other countries of America have in the present instance taken a line which will leave Chile isolated. El Imparcial adverts to the danger implicit in the failure of any small nation to protest against aggression on another small nation, and feels that Chile’s attitude regarding Spain shows that she does not inevitably keep away from European questions involving international principles affecting the entire community of the world’s nations. Similar ideas have been emitted on the floor of Congress by the Democratic Senator Morales and the Conservative Youth (liberalistic) Deputy Boizard.

In conversation with a member of my staff the Foreign Minister stressed the inability of Chile to understand the hidden currents in Europe which may underlie the Finnish situation. The interest of the Communist Party here, which is one of the important assets of the Administration, he said had hot figured at all in his decision. He showed great firmness in his determination to maintain this decision, a firmness which may perhaps be intensified by the criticisms to which it is being subjected.

Respectfully yours,

Claude G. Bowers

[Enclosure—Translation]

Statement to the Press by the Chilean Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ortega)⁸

In yesterday’s edition we gave full details concerning Chile’s reply to Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Uruguay, regarding the suggested formulation of a joint declaration on the invasion of Finland by Russia.

The note sent to the representatives of those countries in Santiago reads as follows:

“With reference to the query made by Your Excellency’s Government to this Foreign Office regarding the suggestion that the American nations make a joint declaration setting forth the reaction of America to the situation which has developed between Russia and Finland, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile considers it appropriate to make the following statement:

“That his Excellency the President of the Republic has in repeated declarations set forth the line of international policy of the Government of Chile, in his message of May 21st of this year having stated as follows:

‘In the spirit of democracy and solidarity which has been evidenced the Government wishes to express its earnest desire to increase the spiritual and material ties uniting Chile with the other nations, especially those of America; this would contribute, proportionately, to the avoidance of any disturbance whatsoever in our relations with old Europe, the mother of our civilization’.

“That, consequently, it is the desire of the Government of Chile to give preference to inter-American relations and, at the same time, to conserve its ties of friendship with the other nations of the world, avoiding any entanglement in European complications.

“That, accordingly, the Government of Chile has decreed its neutrality in the present European conflict and has carefully refrained from expressing opinions on situations or acts of a political character arising from the conflict in question and, furthermore, has made manifest its desire to continue with the nations now at war the same ties of friendship as before the conflict.

“That this policy was followed by the Chilean representatives at the Consultation of Foreign Ministers recently held in Panama, at which meeting, moreover, there was made manifest the will of the countries of America to keep entirely apart from the European conflict, and to try to avoid all questions which might imply pre-belligerency.

“That, at the request of the Government of Finland, the Council and Assembly of the League of Nations have been convoked for the 9th and 11th of this month to discuss the situation which has arisen between that Government and the Soviet Union, and at these meetings the European parties most directly interested will participate.

“That the Government of Chile considers that the pacts, accords and resolutions which it has signed in America are designed to embrace American situations and interests, and that in this sense Chile has been and will always be disposed to maintain its traditional policy of the most scrupulous respect for those provisions.

“That, although the Chilean Government regrets the situation which has arisen with respect to Finland, inasmuch as she made no joint declaration in the cases of Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland and the Baltic countries, she feels that in the present case, following that same policy, she should refrain from expressing opinions.”

7. Neither printed.
8. From the Santiago La Hora, December 7, 1939.