724.3415/4113: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Argentina (Weddell)
109. Your 157, September 13, 11 a.m. and 158, September 13, noon.39 Please inform Dr. Saavedra Lamas at the earliest opportunity of the interest with which this Government has received his views as transmitted in your two cables under reference. You may further say that this Government would appreciate having at the first opportunity the “observations and suggestions” which Paraguay intends to make if its unqualified acceptance of the conciliation formula is withdrawn, should these have been transmitted to the Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs. It would seem to be highly useful to obtain at the earliest possible opportunity the considered views of the Paraguayan Government with regard to the Bolivian suggestions in order to ascertain whether there is not a common ground and whether the apparent difference between the points of view of the two countries expressed in your 158 is not susceptible to solution. From the views expressed here by the Bolivian Minister, the Department believes that there is ample ground for hope of a satisfactory adjustment of the views of Bolivia concerning arbitration to those expressed by Paraguay.
I am somewhat concerned by the statement made by Dr. Saavedra Lamas and reported in your 157 in which he said that his proposed declaration to the League would leave it to the League “to determine whether the good offices of the mediating countries should now come to [Page 204] an end”. I assume that the statement thus quoted was made orally to you and will not be incorporated in any official declaration made by the Argentine Delegate at the League. The only inference which can be drawn from this statement is that the United States will be willing to permit the League to decide whether or not it should continue its mediation between two belligerent republics of the American continent when its good offices have been accepted by both parties. The determination to be reached by the Government of the United States in such regard is, of course, a matter which can be decided only by itself and you are desired, tactfully but clearly, to emphasize this point in your conversation with Dr. Saavedra Lamas. The position of Argentina with regard to the League is completely distinct from that of the United States and this Government reserves complete liberty of action with regard to what its policy may be in connection with the continuation of the present peace negotiations. The attitude of the Government of Brazil is identical with that of this Government.
- Latter not printed.↩