810.74/315a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Chile ( Bowers )
491. In the interest of common hemispheric defense it is essential that communications between this hemisphere and the Axis powers be completely severed. With this end in view Resolution XL of the Rio conference provided that each American Republic should adopt necessary and immediate measures to close all radiotelephone and radiotelegraph communications between the American Republics and the Axis powers.
The other American Republics have for all practical purposes closed channels of communication between their countries and the Axis powers and it is believed that at this time Argentina and Chile remain the only places in this hemisphere with radio stations in direct communication with the Axis powers. The traffic which formerly flowed through other stations is now flowing through stations in these two countries, as a result of which each is assuming an importance it did not have before. There are two companies in Chile operating radio stations:
- (1)
- The I. T. & T. subsidiary communicates between New York and Santiago only.
- (2)
- The consortium station has beams to Berlin, Tokyo, Lima, Rio, and Buenos Aires, as well as London and New York. We are now advised a new telephoto service is to be inaugurated between Santiago and Tokyo.
It is quite possible that if the consortium station at Buenos Aires were shut down the beams now used by it might be transferred to the consortium company at Santiago and its less important circuits would thereby be built up into a communicating system which would rival or even surpass that of Buenos Aires. The equipment is there and could easily be used, so that in spite of the present comparative unimportance of the Santiago consortium station, it is just as important that it be closed as that the Buenos Aires consortium station be closed.
[Page 118]Consequently, threats and pressure from Japan may be expected in Santiago if the closing of the circuit is to be debated. It would be called “an unfriendly act” and various other statements would be made to frighten Chile into maintaining communication.
However, as already stated, it is essential in the interest of the common defense that these Chilean stations, as well as the stations in Argentina, be closed to Axis communications. Various ways of bringing this about are at present being studied by the Department but before taking any definite steps in the matter the Department would appreciate your confidential views as soon as possible as to the extent to which the Chilean Government might be induced to go, bearing in mind the fact that it has not responded to the more important Rio resolution about breaking relations with the Axis powers.