724.3415/4398: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Brazil (Gordon)
181. Aranha communicated to the Department this morning a cable from his Government which corresponded in general to the information transmitted in your 332, December 5, 8 p.m.87 It is obvious, both from this information and from information received from the Bolivian and Paraguayan Ministers here and from the American Legations in Asunción and La Paz, that neither of the two belligerents is prepared to accept the condition imposed by the Brazilian Government. The Bolivian Minister here states that acceptance by his Government of the Brazilian condition would merely offer Paraguay the way to evade acceptance of the League’s invitation on the ground that Brazil’s participation in the League procedure was indispensable and that since the condition imposed by Brazil for her participation was impracticable Paraguay could therefore not accept the League proposal.
… It would, of course, be highly desirable in the interest of all that Brazil should not place herself now in a position from which she cannot recede and which would make her participation with the United States and the other Republics of this Continent in the peace move impossible.
You may say to the Foreign Minister that this Government deeply appreciates the very frank way in which the Brazilian Government has communicated its own views to this Government and that the United States sincerely regrets that it is unable to adopt the suggestion offered by the Brazilian Government to insist upon cessation of hostilities as a prerequisite to its participation in the proposal of the League; nevertheless it trusts that the situation may so develop as to make it possible for Brazil to express its willingness to participate with the United States and the other American Republics in this new peace movement should both of the belligerents accept the League proposal. You may state further that in accordance with the information previously conveyed to the Brazilian Government, the replies sent by the United States to the Secretary-General of the League will be delivered tomorrow, Friday, morning, and will be made public here in the course of the same day.
- Not printed.↩