810.74/547: Telegram
The Ambassador in Chile (Bowers) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:30 p.m.]
1808. Your 1245, October 16, 9 p.m.2 West Coast Cables claims no such messages have been accepted. Company is cooperating but as manager in Chile apparently is without instruction from his home office British Commercial Counselor has telegraphed London that all West Coast Cable offices in this country be specifically instructed to follow in every respect the same policy as All-America Cables. I believe it would be desirable to also take up this matter with British officials in Washington to assure prompt action.
As there now is reason to believe Chilean authorities would interpose no objection to British and American companies even refusing plain language messages from Axis Government representatives in Chile to similar representatives in this country, and if offered to their representatives in Argentina, I am suggesting to All-America Cables and the British Embassy to the West Coast Cables that they refuse such messages.
I understand Axis Embassies are sending practically all their messages encoded by Transradio to Buenos Aires from where they presumably are being retransmitted to their Governments. I shall endeavor to persuade Transradio to refrain from accepting this traffic. To date Chilean Government has not denied Axis Government representative use of state lines in Chile or to Buenos Aires. However, Ríos told Gajardo3 last week that he now favors a complete closing of all facilities to Axis Missions.