Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, The American Republics, Volume VI

825.857/26: Telegram

The Ambassador in Chile (Bowers) to the Secretary of State

Santiago, April 6, 1942—6 p.m.
[Received 9:26 p.m.]

528. For Acting Secretary. My telegram No. 464, March 23, 8 p.m.³⁰ Saw Barros Jarpa³¹ this morning and was told that the Japanese Minister struck out the reference to the Panama Canal, and that he, Barros Jarpa, has called in the Japanese Minister to say that Chile would look upon an attack on the Canal as an attack on Chile since the economic life of Chile is dependent upon the Canal. This is also what Rossetti told me he had said to the Minister. Barros Jarpa showed me the original Japanese note pledging Japan not to interfere with Chile’s commerce with the United States. This probably means Chilean commerce conveyed in Chilean ships. It probably means that submarine attacks on our own vessels may possibly be made but not on Chilean, but Japan now knows that an attack on the Canal would be considered by Chile an attack on herself.

Repeated to Panama.

Bowers

30. Not printed.
31. Chilean Minister for Foreign Affairs; he succeeded Rossetti in this office after the inauguration of President Juan Antonio Ríos on April 2, 1942.