824.6352/9–745: Telegram
The Ambassador in Bolivia (Thurston) to the Secretary of State
La Paz, September
7, 1945—6 a.m.
[Received September 8—4:30 p.m.]
[Received September 8—4:30 p.m.]
934. Dept.’s 593, Sept. 6.
- 1.
- Neither the Dept. nor this Embassy can object to a strike. We can, however, insist that as has not been done heretofore, American personnel be protected during strike.
- 2.
- It has never been the Embassy’s intention that we should bargain American lives against the price of tin. I see no reason, however, which could prevent us from making the negotiation or signing of a new tin contract absolutely contingent upon formal assurances that agitation against Americans will be stopped. That is all the Embassy has ever recommended to Dept.
- 3.
- The Bolivian Govt, should be required to take these steps: (a) Prevent its own agents (labor inspectors Toranzas and Escobar79) from inciting the miners against Americans; (b) prevent labor agents [such as?] (Lechín) from such agitation; (c) address itself directly to the miners calling for respect for the Americans.
- 4.
- I discussed this matter along the foregoing lines but more forcefully last evening with President Villarroel and again received assurances of prompt corrective measures.
Thurston
- Cesár Torranzos, Inspector General of Labor, and José de la Asunción Escobar, of the Ministry of Labor.↩