711.00 Statement July 16, 1937/118: Telegram
The Chargé in Brazil (Scotten) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:37 p.m.]
85. At a large luncheon today given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in honor of the French writer, André Siegfried, which I attended, [Page 756] the Minister made a very strong address portraying in no uncertain terms the precarious state of European politics and deploring the fact that since the last war it has become the increasing tendency of many nations to utilize war as an instrument of national policy. He added that it is this spectacle of the old world which fills all thinking men with horror and has led the United States to proclaim its policy to keep apart from entangling alliances and to strive to maintain peace by every possible means. He eulogized in the highest terms the policy of the United States and emphasized that Brazil will cooperate in this policy both on the American continent as well as with regard to Europe.
After the luncheon the Minister repeated to me what was previously reported to the Department in the Embassy’s despatch No. 1453,94 namely, that he made this speech deliberately in an effort to do what he could to reenforce the Secretary’s statement of July 16. In view of this I venture to suggest that the Department send a message of appreciation to him.
The text of the Minister’s speech will be sent by air mail.95