710.Consultation(2)/195
The Chargé in Venezuela (Scott) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 6.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to this Embassy’s telegram No. 99 of July 1, 1940, 5 p.m., concerning Venezuelan participation in the forthcoming Meeting of Foreign Ministers at Habana. A word of amplification is necessary as to the attitude of Dr. Gil Borges.
In the first place it should be made clear that the Minister desires to work closely with the United States. He will not take any step to impair the success of Pan American unity or of this or any other conference. However, parallel with this cooperative attitude the Minister is in disagreement with the desirability of this conference. He feels that the conference method of handling the delicate and dangerous problems facing the Western hemisphere is wrong. It is his view that these meetings supply a debate in an open forum on problems which should be handled directly between countries in secret conversations. Instead of giving an impressive spectacle of Pan American unity they are more apt to develop marked differences which will be played up by Germany and Italy as evidence that the American countries cannot pull together. He thinks that too many small countries or egotistical Ministers wish to be in the public eye and advance proposals which are unsound, and that far too much time is wasted in sterile speechmaking. “We suffered at Panama,” he said. “We had to listen to twenty-one flowery speeches when the conference opened and twenty-one when it closed, not counting those at banquets and receptions in between. The times are too solemn for such a plethora of words; they call for discussions of efficient measures toward facing the dangers which confront all of us.”
In addition to the general objection to the “conference method”, the Minister is opposed to the Habana conference on the following specific grounds:
- (1)
- He feels that it is premature to discuss the political questions involved. It may be some time before the peace terms in Europe can be finally arrived at. Europe is making no pronouncements about colonies in the Western hemisphere. Why show our hand at this time?
- (2)
- He sees no need to treat economic questions in the conference since a properly organized committee has been set up for this purpose and is soon about to function.
In presenting the above views it should be made clear that I am certain that they are the honestly held opinion of the Minister but do not modify in any way his wholehearted support of the United States. …
Respectfully yours,