710.Consultation (3)/344: Telegram
The American Representative (Welles) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 17—2:25 a.m.]
15. The situation remains approximately the same as indicated in my last telegram.
As you know, I completely share your own feeling that every effort should be made to preserve unanimity, but that if the Argentine Government is unwilling to join in a continental declaration for a severance of relations with the Axis Powers, Argentina should be allowed to proceed alone.
[Page 28]I had a very frank talk yesterday morning with Dr. Ruiz Guiñazú. I found him wavering and vacillating, and obviously very much under the impression of the strong line taken by the other delegations and by the general state of public opinion in Brazil. Without making any commitment, he gave me to understand that he was inclined to go along with a declaration for the severance of relations, but he stated he would first have to cable President Castillo and get new instructions.
President Vargas64 told me yesterday afternoon that the Argentines would come along and that he himself had personally made it absolutely clear to Ruiz Guiñazú that Brazil would support the United States 100%; that the final decision of Brazil in this regard had been reached, and that he, Vargas, had the support of practically every citizen of Brazil in following this policy.
The Foreign Ministers of Mexico65 and Venezuela66 and the Chief of the delegation of Colombia,67 are today jointly presenting to the committee a project for the severance of relations with the Axis Powers. They have been to see Ruiz Guiñazú, and have shown him the project. They have told him that they will not agree to a compromise and that they will under no conditions recede from the position they have taken, and that in this position they have the support of every nation of the hemisphere, except Chile and Argentina.
The speech made yesterday by Dr. Guani was decidedly helpful as an indication to the rest of the Continent that Argentina’s assumed control over the smaller republics of South America is nonexistent.
The general atmosphere of the Conference could not be more favorable from our standpoint. I am now beginning to believe that the Argentine Government may decide to come along largely because of the firm attitude taken by President Vargas and Aranha. … Aranha feels and I agree, however, that if Argentina is brought into line Chile will be forced without question to adhere to any joint declaration.