File No. 763.72/7581
The Ambassador in Argentina ( Stimson ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3.41 p.m.]
British Minister has addressed a note to me inviting me to attend a meeting of plenipotentiaries Entente powers November 8 to discuss attitude they are to assume with regard to Argentina on the submarine question. It [appears] that on August 25, 1916, Ministers of France, Russia, England and Italy presented a joint memorandum to the Argentine Government on the subject claiming principally that the rules previously existing in international law should not be applied as to belligerent submarines but that any submarine touching at a neutral port even for less than 24 hours should be interned.
The note further states that he has just received a telegram from the British Minister for Foreign Affairs stating that it is probable that large German submarines will soon commence to operate in South American waters, that in case one such should arrive in Argentine territorial waters it is necessary that “the Allied Ministers” should be in concert in order to obtain its immediate internment by Argentine authorities.
Respectfully request immediate instruction, (1) whether to attend the conference, (2) whether Department desires to give me any special instructions if I do attend.