724.3415/4284: Telegram
The Ambassador in Brazil (Gibson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:40 p.m.]
300. My 296, October 22, 2 p.m. Foreign Office informs me that although Argentine Government first gave its approval and authorization to Argentine Ambassador to participate the latter has now called with a long telegram from Saavedra Lamas in which he reopens the whole question and states that (chiefly in view of the dangers of eventual publicity) he has serious scruples about any action outside of the League of Nations. His message ends with the statement that under the circumstances Argentina is unable to participate.
The Bolivian Minister has kept away from the Foreign Office but yesterday the Secretary General cornered him and asked about the reply from his Government. The Minister gave no direct answer but went into elaborate explanations as to the difficulty of Bolivian acceptance, the necessity for adhering to League procedure, et cetera.
[Page 228]Under directions from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Secretary General has now told the Bolivian Minister that the Brazilian Government washes its hands of the whole subject; that if at any future time he wants to bring the matter up again he must do so in writing and with definite guarantee that his Government will stand hitched.