Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, The American Republics, Volume V

740.00112A European War 1939/29926: Telegram

The Chargé in Bolivia (Woodward) to the Secretary of State

La Paz, May 1, 1943.
[Received May 1—10:05 p.m.]

832. The Department’s 607 of April 26, 9 p.m. The Bolivian Cabinet late yesterday promulgated a decree which establishes an Economic Defense Board to study the matter of implementing certain of the recommendations of the Washington Conference on Systems of Financial and Economic Control.³⁶

The text of the decree follows:

“Considering that in accordance with the Resolutions of the Third Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the American Republics held in Rio de Janeiro in January of 1942³⁷ and of the Inter-American Conference on Systems of Financial and Economic Control held in the same year and in accordance with the supreme decree of April 7, 1943 means must be sought by which the Government of Bolivia will be able to attain the objectives on the above mentioned Resolution in conformity with the situation created by the supreme decree cited on [sic] Council of Ministers, it is decreed.

Sole article. There is hereby established a board designated as Economic Defense Board of Bolivia composed of the Ministers of Foreign Relations, of Finance, of National Economy, the Chief of the General Staff, a representative of the National Chamber of Commerce, and another from the National Chamber of Industries which shall be entrusted with the recommendation of procedures by [which?] the supreme decrees of June 20, 1941, of December 10, 1941 and of July 15, 1942 may be applied as well as with the duty of bringing to the consideration of the supreme Government the plans and regulations which may be necessary. The Ministers of Foreign Relations, of National Economy, and of Finance are hereby charged with the execution and compliance with supreme decree.”

Comment on this decree is contained in the Embassy’s 833.³⁸

Woodward

36. For comment on this Conference, June 30–July 10, 1942, see Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. v, pp. 58 ff. For text of recommendations, see Pan American Union, Congress and Conference Series No. 39: Final Act of the Inter-American Conference on Systems of Economic and Financial Control (Washington, 1942).
37. For correspondence concerning this meeting, see Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. v, pp. 6 ff. For text of the resolutions, see Department of State Bulletin, February 7, 1942, pp. 117 ff.
38. Infra.