824.00/836
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Welles)
The Minister of Bolivia called to see me this morning and read to me the declaration of his Government which he had been instructed to communicate to me. The text of the declaration was identical with that which had been issued by the Bolivian Government to the press, and contained the assurance that Bolivia would scrupulously maintain all of its international obligations and that it desired to continue its friendly relations with the Government of the United States. Further by instruction, the Minister stated that, in the opinion of his Government, no formal act of recognition was required of the new régime. Inasmuch as the government headed by Colonel Toro was a government of the Army and inasmuch as the Army had now [Page 259] merely replaced one officer with another, the régime continued although the individuals in the government were changed.
I requested the Minister to say, in reply, that following the useful and desirable precedent created when the Chaco Peace Conference was constituted, it was the desire of this Government to maintain close contact with the other governments represented on the Chaco Peace Conference, and, for that reason, with regard to the statements now advanced by the Government of Bolivia, we were exchanging views with the governments of the mediatory powers, believing that in that way we could more usefully serve in a friendly manner the best interests of the people of Bolivia and Paraguay. I also asked the Minister to say that this Government would, of course, desire a little time, in accordance with its traditional policy, to ascertain whether the present government enjoyed a substantial measure of popular support and likewise was enabled to carry out the ordinary functions of government. I asked him, in conclusion, to emphasize the desire of this Government always to maintain the most friendly relations with all Bolivian governments, and said that I trusted that conditions in Bolivia would soon crystallize in such a way as to make possible the continuation of formal and official friendly relations. The Minister said that he thoroughly appreciated our position and that he would see that this statement was communicated in the proper manner to his Foreign Office.
The Minister said, of his own accord, that it was obvious that the change of government had not taken place in quite so tranquil a manner nor with such military precision as that indicated by the instruction from his Government. He had received word of the deaths of three civilians, which had occurred upon the occasion of the banquet for General Peñaranda, and apparently also of the fact that there was considerable tension within the Bolivian Army itself. He said, however, that it was a hopeful sign that the three civilian members of the Cabinet were not purely civilians appointed as individuals, but that in each case the new civilian Cabinet members represented very large political groups. He said that Señor Gutierrez was formerly a member of the Liberal Party and represented the Right Wing of the present Liberal Party, whereas Dr. Baldivieso, designated as Minister of Foreign Affairs, represented the Socialists, a younger political element, and Señor Gonsalvez was, of course, the representative of the Saavedra group. Another encouraging sign, the Minister said, was that Colonel Busch had publicly stated that all of the political parties would be offered full opportunity for organization with a view to proceeding to elections at an early date. He said that this, of course, was completely contrary to the tendency of Colonel Toro’s government, which had been to indefinitely postpone any popular elections.
[Page 260]I told the Minister that as soon as our exchanges of views with the other mediatory powers had been concluded, I was sure that we would reach a prompt decision, and that I would be happy to ask him to come to see me as soon as this Government’s attitude had been determined.