810.74/628: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Argentina (Armour)
1859. Your 2389, November 26, 8 p.m. I am glad that you clearly indicated to Gache your amazement at the Argentine Government’s apparent yielding to the Axis. If you have not already done so, you might point out in your future interviews that even if the Argentine Government should prohibit the transmission of messages in code and cipher by radio it falls short of the terms of Resolution 40 of the Rio Conference which was signed by Argentina and provides for the closing of all radiotelephone and radiotelegraph communications between the American republics and the aggressor nations. You might also point out that denying the right to Axis missions to transmit messages in code may be an inconvenience to them but that failure to prohibit the transmission of such code messages results in the loss of life and property belonging to the United Nations, a most one-sided interpretation of neutrality.
In the last war, during the period of our neutrality, the only means of communication between this country and Germany was by radio. We controlled the radio stations and refused to send any messages in code for the diplomatic missions of the Central Powers unless a copy of such code was furnished to the Navy personnel in charge of the radio stations. You might bring this information to the attention of the Argentine officials. The pertinent provisions of the Regulations relative to the operation of the Tuckerton radio station, which provisions were brought to the attention of the diplomatic representatives of foreign governments in Washington, are as follows: [Page 178]
The stations shall be used only for transmitting to or receiving from shore stations in Europe and the United Kingdom.
Naval officials at this station must assure themselves that the messages handled are strictly neutral in character. No unneutral message will be permitted to be handled.
No messages in cipher or code shall be transmitted or received for delivery unless the United States officials are furnished with a key to such messages.
No messages will be transmitted or delivered until they have been first paraphrased by the censors as may be necessary to ensure their neutral character, whether they are received or are to be sent in plain language or in code, cipher, or foreign language.
No messages shall be sent or delivered until countersigned by the censor.
You have our fullest support in continuing to press most strongly for the prohibition of the transmission of any confidential code or cipher radio messages from Argentina to points outside of this continent.