724.3415/4310: Telegram
The Ambassador in Brazil (Gibson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:30 p.m.]
310. My 309 November 6, 6 p.m., Department’s 163, November 6, 7 p.m. Bolivian Minister called on Minister for Foreign Affairs last night and communicated to him first message referred to in my telegram. Minister for Foreign Affairs stated that Bolivian acceptance [Page 234] would have been more welcome several weeks ago; that there was not time for reaching any solution within the few days remaining before the special League Assembly.
The Bolivian Minister fell back on an inquiry as to whether Brazil and the United States would renew the suggestion of direct conversations in case the League failed to find a solution. Minister for Foreign Affairs said that if that situation arose he felt it would be unwise for Brazil and the United States to grant friendly good offices in connection with direct conversations except in response to a specific request from both the belligerents. The Bolivian Minister asked whether Brazil and the United States could not take the initiative and was told by the Minister for Foreign Affairs that while no answer could be given to such a hypothetical question, he felt that our recent experience had demonstrated that it would be wiser to act only in response to specific requests from both parties.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs has received word from La Paz in regard to the Argentine overtures in substantial agreement with the facts given in the Department’s telegram.
In view of the discrepancy between the statements in the Department’s telegram and mine as to whether the Bolivian proposal envisaged the presence of the Argentine representative at direct conversations here, I inquired as to what the Bolivian Minister had said last night. Minister for Foreign Affairs tells me that he made no mention of the Argentine in that connection.