740.0011 European War 1939/10526: Telegram
The Chargé in Uruguay (Chapin) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:40 p.m.]
170. Department’s circular telegram April 29, 10 p.m. In accordance with the Department’s instructions I read a translation of the substance of the Department’s telegram to Dr. Guani7 and left with him a brief informal memorandum.
He said that Uruguayan Government had been approached twice before to take a similar step, the latest being that of the British Minister a month ago. Guani said that his immediate reaction was that the situation in Europe had reverted to such a state of barbarism including Spain that any appeal based on the grounds of bonds or law, particularly from this hemisphere would now be completely without effect. I replied that nevertheless in the present desperate situation it seemed wise to leave no stone unturned to keep Spain out of the war, to which remark he half heartedly assented saying that he would take up the matter with President Baldomir whom he was seeing tonight.
- Alberto Guani, Uruguayan Minister for Foreign Affairs.↩