724.3415/4159: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Brazil (Gibson)
133. The Department has today received by cable from the American Minister in Asunción the following written statement communicated by President Ayala to the American Minister:
[Here follows quoted portion of telegram No. 43, September 20, 2 p.m., from the Minister in Paraguay, printed supra.]
On September 19, the Department received the following statement of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bolivia communicated to the American Minister in La Paz on that date.
“He expressed regret that the United States and Brazil will not form part of a committee appointed by the League; and stated that when the pause is ended he hopes the United States and Brazil will continue the negotiations.”46
Please advise the Minister for Foreign Affairs fully of the above and state, at the same time, that this information has not been communicated as yet to the Government of Argentina. You should state that this Government would welcome the opinion of the Brazilian Government as to the course which should now be pursued in the Chaco negotiations in view of these two statements by the belligerent nations.
In the opinion of the Government of the United States, if the negotiations in which Brazil and the United States are participating are [Page 219] to be carried on successfully, it would seem advisable that a joint decision be reached by the two Governments as to the course to be pursued immediately after a determination is reached at Geneva as to the exact nature of the League’s activities. The suggestion made by the President of Paraguay that conversations should be commenced between representatives of Bolivia and Paraguay with the participation of the representatives of the mediating powers appears to this Government to offer concrete advantages. It is feared that it might prove a difficult, if not an interminable task to persuade Paraguay to agree to some portion of the modifications of the conciliation formula suggested by Bolivia if such an attempt is made prior to an actual conference. On the other hand, it would be exceedingly difficult for Bolivia now to retreat from the position which she has taken in that regard. There would, however, appear a good ground for hope that in the course of the proposed conference both Bolivia and Paraguay might be persuaded by the mediating powers to agree upon some revised form of the original conciliation formula and likewise to agree upon some arbitral agreement. For obvious reasons, it would further seem desirable to insist that the meeting place of the conference continue to be Buenos Aires, but it would likewise seem advantageous, should such a conference take place, to insist that all of the American Republics composing the original group of nine be represented from the outset in the mediation proceedings.
Should the views of the Brazilian Government coincide with the opinions expressed, you may suggest to the Minister for Foreign Affairs that as soon as an agreement has been reached between Brazil and the United States, the proposal be laid by the American and Brazilian Ambassadors at Buenos Aires before Dr. Saavedra Lamas.
The time element seems now to be of importance and state to the Minister for Foreign Affairs that this Government would therefore deeply appreciate receiving the views of his Government at the earliest opportunity.