835.00/2–747

Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State for American Republic Affairs (Braden) to the Under Secretary of State (Acheson)

secret

No purpose is to be served by a lengthy telegraphic confirmation of the Department’s policy which was made clear to Ambassador Messersmith during his recent visit here:29

1.
In respect of elimination of Axis schools and institutions, the Ambassador knows that some months ago the Department accepted Argentine performance in this field. Why labor the point further?
2.
The recent decree purporting to place in the Argentine Government the full enemy titles to a large number of spearhead firms is progress toward compliance in the field of enemy property and we [Page 177] so stated in our January 25 release.30 At the appropriate time we will have to be assured that the action consists of something more than a mere paper decree—that all of the steps under such decree have been taken which are essential to a settlement of the decisive title and control question. We should also have a full and complete list of the spearhead firms falling under that decree (The Embassy has not sent this in.). No purpose is to be served in deciding the compliance question piecemeal and we should not finally and irrevocably commit ourselves on this point until we come to decide the question as a whole.
3.
No final decision can be made in respect of enemy agents until the names and number actually deported are known.
On the question of good faith, it should be remembered that in his despatch No. 230 of June 25 194631 Ambassador Messersmith reported that he was told by the Foreign Minister, when some 40 of the most important and dangerous German espionage agents were released, that the Argentine Government was “employing over 200 people to watch these (40) people and they were taking good care that nobody got beyond the jurisdiction of the court.” It will also be remembered that, according to … reports, all of the Axis agents were warned in advance that their roundup by the police was eminent [imminent]; and Ambassador Messersmith reported that the leak was through the Police Department which was in charge of the roundup.
4.
The British Government, which is not party to the Mexico City agreements, has merely said that Argentina “is now fulfilling its obligations in respect of enemy aliens, property and interests at least as well as the majority of Latin-American Governments”. The British do not say—to use the language of the April 8 statement—that Argentina has performed with deeds and not promises.
5.
Although there are doubtless American republics which for one reason or another would be willing to proceed with the Rio Conference irrespective of actual compliance, no official representation has been made to this Government by any American republic that Argentina has already complied, nor has this Government been under any pressure to proceed with the Rio Conference without compliance.
6.
The basic issue of whether Argentina “is definitely desirous of … collaborating with US fully and sincerely in the American and international picture” is treated in a separate memorandum on Argentine policy now in the course of preparation. This issue is, of course, irrelevant to the immediate question since the Embassy and the Department are apparently still in agreement that there has as yet been no satisfactory compliance.
7.
There was no need whatever for the Embassy’s lengthy message32 which added nothing to our knowledge of the problem.

Spruille Braden
  1. This memorandum was written as a result of the receipt of Ambassador Messersmith’s telegram 134, February 7, supra.
  2. Department of State Bulletin, February 2, 1947, p. 214.
  3. Foreign Relations, vol. xi, p. 265.
  4. The Department replied in telegram 112, February 12, 8 p.m., as follows:

    “We do not understand that Argentina has yet met the test (urtel 134, Feb. 7). We shall accordingly await developments. In the meantime please report on names of firms actually taken over under January decree and steps taken to assume full control thereof.” (835.00/2–747)