862.20210/2161: Telegram
The Ambassador in Argentina (Armour) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:25 p.m.]
102. Reference Department’s 38, January 8, 10 p.m. Memorandum as described in paragraph 2 of Ambassador Dawson’s telegram No. 56, January 12, 8 p.m., is being completed today and in accordance with Department’s 33, of January 13, 1943 to Montevideo17 duplicate copies are being forwarded by courier tomorrow to all missions listed except Rio and Asunción. Since copies cannot go forward by regular courier to these missions until January 22 and thus would probably reach destinations after action had been taken by Committee in Montevideo I [Page 6] am designating special courier to take copies these missions leaving for Rio January 19 returning via Asunción 20th.
New memorandum which incorporates information included in three original memoranda but which does not introduce any new charges against Axis espionage agents in Argentina or elsewhere is dated January 4, 1943. This date was chosen because a date prior to Argentine Government’s recall of Niebuhr, German Naval Attaché, was necessary. It moreover is exactly 2 months after date of submission of first two memoranda.
Department’s instructions are urgently requested regarding how much advance notice I should give Argentine Foreign Office as well as Minister of Interior18 that memorandum is being presented to Advisory Committee [for] Political Defense. Present indications are that Chile will break relations with Axis somewhere between January 19 and 23 and acting under Department’s instructions it is assumed Ambassador Dawson will present memorandum to Committee a day or two after break occurs. While I have informally advised both Gache19 and Culaciati that our Government be [sic] proposed eventually to make memoranda or substance available to Defense Committee I suggest that as soon as possible [as soon after?] Dr. Spaeth informs me definitely that meeting of Committee has been called at which memorandum is to be presented I be authorized to inform appropriate Argentine authorities in effect as follows:
“Referring to the three memoranda presented to the Argentine Government on November 3, 4, and 10, 1942, regarding Axis subversive activities in Argentina, while it is appreciated that the Government has taken effective action looking to the apprehension of certain of the Axis agents described therein, nevertheless the United States Government feels that the information contained therein affects the security of the whole Western Hemisphere and therefore to varying degrees the security of each of the American Republics. Accordingly, the substance of the three memoranda, embodied in a new memorandum, is being handed to the Advisory Committee for Political Defense since it is believed that this information is sufficiently important to warrant its being brought to the attention of each of the nations affected.”
This procedure would give Government several hours advance notice of any action Committee might take on memorandum and is believed warranted in view of action thus far taken by Argentina on information presented.
Six copies of Spanish version of January 4 memorandum are being forwarded to Department by courier leaving tomorrow.20