Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, The American Republics, Volume V

710. Consultation (3)/812

English Text of Informal Memorandum in Spanish Left by the American Ambassador in Argentina (Armour) With the Argentine Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ruiz-Guiñazú) on July 6, 1942³⁰

Five months have now elapsed since the closure of the Meeting of American Foreign Ministers at Río de Janeiro.³¹ Week after week the crisis of war deepens and the criminal attacks of the Axis aggressors approach ever closer to the shores of America, without regard for the civilized laws of human conduct and without distinction among the victims. The lives and property of more and more citizens of the American Republics are daily sacrificed to preserve their integrity and independence and the integrity and solidarity of the American continent.

The effective implementation of the resolutions subscribed at the Río de Janeiro Meeting by all of the American Republics is essential in order to nullify and prevent these criminal acts of aggression.

The delay of the Argentine Government in implementing the provisions of Resolutions I, XVII, XXXI, and XL³² in particular, has permitted the continuance by Axis agents in Argentina of espionage and other activities designed to defeat the war effort of the United States and of the other American Republics now at war, and to undermine the collective integrity and solidarity of the continent.

Information regarding a number of particularly dangerous Axis agents has been communicated to the Argentine Government by the Embassy of the United States. Recently a number of Axis agents whose subversive character had been signalized by other American Republics with a view to their deportation and repatriation had entered Argentina on visas issued by Argentine consuls. So far as is known, no measures have been taken to prevent Axis agents and other foreigners inimical to the principles of the Declaration of Lima³³ from traveling freely on Argentine air lines, in contradiction of the recommendations contained in Resolution XXXI of the Río de Janeiro meeting.

Certain newspaper offices, radio broadcasting stations and publishing houses which are centers for the dissemination of totalitarian propaganda, are openly continuing their activities in Argentina. Some of this propaganda finds its way to the other American Republics, often by clandestine means.

The Argentine Government thus far has taken no action, in accordance with Resolution XL of the Río de Janeiro Meeting, to close all radio telephone and radio telegraph communications between Argentina and the aggressor states and all territories subservient to them, with the exception of official communications of the American Governments. Nor have effective steps been taken by the Argentine Government to control, through licensing, the transmission and reception of messages over any telecommunication system which might endanger the security of each American state and the continent in general.

There appears to be no doubt that subsequent to the severance of telecommunications by the majority of the American Republics, Argentina has been used as a center for the reception of information from Axis agents throughout the Continent, and that such information is transmitted to Axis nations directly or indirectly by telecommunications. Any message so transmitted to Axis nations, either directly or indirectly, may endanger the lives of citizens of the American Republics, threaten the safety of their ships, lead to the loss of valuable materials, and imperil the individual and collective security and integrity of the American Republics.

During the past five months the Government of the United States has awaited with serenity and confidence the positive action which it has felt sure would be taken by the Government of Argentina to implement the resolutions subscribed at Río de Janeiro. The Government of the United States does not doubt that this confidence is justified.

Buenos Aires , July 6, 1942.

30. Transmitted to the Department by the Ambassador in his despatch No. 5694, July 10; received July 16.
31. For correspondence concerning the Third Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the American Republics at Rio de Janeiro, January 15–28, 1942, see pp. 6 ff.
32. Department of State Bulletin, February 7, 1942, pp. 118, 128, 137, and 140.
33. Declaration of the Principles of the Solidarity of America, approved December 24, 1938, Report of the Delegation of the United States of America to the Eighth International Conference of American States, Lima, Peru, December 9–27, 1938 (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1941), p. 189.