740.0011 European War 1939/22198: Telegram
The Ambassador in Chile (Bowers) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 12—9:40 a.m.]
953. For Secretary and Under Secretary. At 4 this afternoon saw the President at his request and Barros Jarpa was present. The substance of your telegram 649, June 6, 2 [6] p.m., was given to Graham who acted as emissary between Finance Minister and me, and Graham told that Minister that a reply had been received by me which clearly outlined our position but that in view of possible misinterpretations he thought it should be received from me and in the regular diplomatic manner. Clearly the Finance Minister so informed the President. Hence my summons. He began by saying he was making the proposition of the Finance Minister official. I gave him the substance of the reply. He seemed shocked and distressed that his Government should have been put in the position of bargaining since he had determined on a policy in keeping with common dignity, and he asked me to disabuse your minds of the idea that he had any such thought. He said the Finance Minister has his special problems and in seeking a solution inadvertently perhaps tied up two things in such a way as to create a bad impression. Whether he resented the fact that the Finance Minister had unwittingly injected himself into a field not his, or Barros Jarpa gave such a twist to his comments I am not quite certain.
The President, backed by Barros Jarpa, said that his Government is following a very clearly defined path against the Nazis and their activities; that he had informed the Congressional Committee investigating the Nazis that all the facilities and facts in possession of Government are at its disposal; that he himself had just reprimanded a judge who in a case involving our enemies had seemed too lenient; and he gave the impression that he knows that the present activities of the Government lead directly and logically to the breaking of relations.
[Page 25]I emphasized in Barros Jarpa’s presence the importance we attach to the latter’s early visit to Washington; that President Roosevelt, Hull and Welles expect excellent results; and that he absolutely must go as soon as possible. Barros Jarpa replied that he had just wired the Chilean Ambassador in Uruguay for exact information as to time of Minister’s arrival here; and he certainly left no doubt that he is going.
I think the conversation was most helpful since without my initiative I was given the opportunity of impressing on the President the wish of the United States that Chile should break relations; and the importance we attach to the forthcoming visit of Barros Jarpa. On leaving the President reiterated an earnest request that I disabuse your mind of the feeling that he sanction[ed] any bargaining or knew that any proposition like bargaining was being submitted to us. It is quite possible that the Finance Minister told him of the propositions of an economic nature he had made without indicating that the breaking of relations was to be the consideration. Both President and Minister were very cordial.