740.00111A.R.–N.C./67a
The Chief of the Division of the American Republics (Duggan) to the Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery)
My Dear Mr. Ambassador: We have been giving thought to the question of publicity regarding the recommendations of the Inter-American Neutrality Committee which we hope will shortly resume its sessions at Rio.
It appears probable that the Committee will, in the very near future, receive an affirmative answer from the twenty-one American republics to its inquiry relative to its competence to deal with matters arising from the Declaration of Panama. It is our hope that as soon as this matter is cleared up, the Committee will give prompt consideration [Page 289] to the ways which may be open to the American republics in order to attain the objectives of the Declaration and that the corresponding recommendations will be forwarded through the Pan American Union at an early date. It may be that the Committee will wish to point out the advantages and disadvantages of several different courses of action.
In as much as this is a matter in which the belligerents have shown considerable interest and which may quite possibly assume a controversial character as between the American republics themselves, it has seemed to us that it would be desirable to keep publicity to a minimum, until the American republics have, through the procedure of consultation, resolved upon a common position.
The present practice of the Committee is apparently to communicate its recommendations, or a summary thereof, to the press as soon as it has received the assurance from the Pan American Union that that organization has transmitted them to the representatives of the American republics in Washington. It appears to us desirable that this practice, as far as it relates to the recommendations of the Committee on questions such as those arising from the Declaration of Panama, be discontinued. We understand that the Governments of Venezuela and Argentina are thinking along the same line.
I realize of course that the absence of official releases will inevitably produce leaks of various kinds. However, I am of the opinion that the advantages of keeping the recommendations officially confidential are not outweighed by the disadvantage of unofficial indiscretions in regard thereto.
It would be most helpful if you could discuss this situation with Aranha. If he concurs with our views, perhaps he would be willing to pass them on to Mello Franco. Meanwhile we will also go into the matter with Professor Fenwick before he returns to Rio.
As a matter of interest, there is a tendency for some of the governments which do not have a national on the Committee to feel that they are “not represented” and that the Committee’s recommendations are in reality the views of the seven governments which are “represented”. The Dominican Minister in Rio whose name is Sanchez Lustrino recently proposed to his Government that each of the fourteen governments “not represented” should appoint a substitute who might participate in the deliberations of the Committee and vote when taking the place of one of the “regular” members. It is of course our view that the Committee is a technical body consisting of prominent international lawyers acting in an advisory capacity only on behalf of the twenty-one American republics.
Sincerely yours,