Office of the Historian

835.741/46a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Argentina (Armour)

Washington, July 12, 1943—9 p.m.

1023. The Department wishes information on controls exercised by Argentine Government or telecommunication companies to enforce anti-code provisions of June 10 decree.

What prevents a German agent from filing messages with Transradio for Berlin in ostensible commercial code which actually disguises secret code? Are there regulations specifying what commercial codes may be used, requiring plain-language translations of commercial code messages to be presented at time of filing, limiting languages that may be used, et cetera? Who enforces such regulations? How are international radiotelephone conversations controlled? How are news-service transmissions scrutinized and controlled?

Please report completely on the actual situation.

Hull