740.0011 EW/2–545: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Chile ( Bowers )
122. Reurtel 184, February 5. As was made clear to Fernández and the President while Wright was in Chile,72 to become eligible for adherence to the Declaration by United Nations a nation must be, in the terms of the Declaration, “at war” with Germany or Japan or both and “rendering material assistance and contributions” in the struggle. We are fully aware that Chile is rendering material assistance and contributions of a nature to permit adherence if Chile should enter into a state of war. If Fernández will read the Declaration carefully, he will realize that to become eligible for adherence a nation must be in a status equivalent to being “at war”.
This has been a requirement for admission during the 3 years of the life of the Declaration and the United States, as but one of the 36 United Nations, cannot change that requirement. The other American republics concerned appear definitely to understand the situation and are proceeding accordingly. When the ceremony is held on February 14 two or three of these republics will probably by then have qualified themselves to sign the Declaration.
Please bring the above clearly to the attention of Fernández and the President in order that there may be no misunderstanding on their part.
- For information related to the mission to Chile of James H. Wright, Chief, Division of North and West Coast Affairs, see despatch 1888, December 5, 1944, 8 p.m., Foreign Relations, 1944, vol vii, p. 691.↩