832.61333/7–1444: Telegram
The Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:41 p.m.]
2524. Following today’s telephone conversation between Cale9 and Donnelly, the latter informed Guedes in Santos that the United States Army will accept only strictly soft solid bean coffee as specified in paragraph (f) of the agreement of July 4. Guedes replied that paragraph (f) of the Portuguese translation of the agreement which Sousa Costa telegraphed to him reads “exclusivamente mole” and not “estrictamente mole”. He attributes the mistake to a faulty translation and he added that he arranged for the sale of one million bags in accordance with the provisions of the Portuguese translation of the agreement.
Guedes now states that it is impossible to offer one million bags strictly soft for August shipment. He feels that the United States Army is making a mistake in not accepting the one million bags of soft and strictly soft and requests that they reconsider their decision based upon his assurances today to Sousa Costa that the million bags will consists of 50% 2 to 4 soft and 50% strictly soft.
- Edward G. Cale, Assistant Chief, Commodities Division, and Chairman of the Inter-American Coffee Board.↩