740.00111A.R.–N.C./101
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of the American Republics (Duggan)
Dr. Bunge69 left with me the attached instruction70 received from the Foreign Office regarding the question of whether the Inter-American Neutrality Committee in Rio should remain in continuous session or, upon completion of its present duties, recess subject to call at any time. Before taking the matter up with other governments the Argentine Ambassador71 desires to learn the views of this Government.
I told Dr. Bunge that it was my belief that the Department considered that the Inter-American Neutrality Committee could serve a very useful function by always being available to give immediate and expeditious consideration to neutrality problems as they arose. I did not think that the Department would wish to take the view that this Committee should, nevertheless, be in continuous session once it had terminated its studies of the several matters that are now pending before it, but I expressed strongly the view that if the Committee [Page 304] recessed it should be on the clear understanding that its members would reconvene immediately should any situation arise on which its advice and recommendations would be helpful. I indicated, however, that this was only a personal view and that I would prefer to consult others in the Department.