810.24/44: Telegram
The Chargé in Chile (Trueblood) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:10 p.m.]
115. Referring to the Department’s circular, June 27, 7 p.m.,63a taking advantage of the regular weekly audience I saw the Foreign Minister at noon and brought the matter discussed in this telegram to his attention. He expressed great interest in it stating emphatically that he considered it of great importance and utility especially at this time when the international situation was so critical.
He pointed out however that due to its limited financial resources it would be difficult for Chile to take advantage of the facilities which [Page 463] the joint resolution would make available. After stressing how exposed the Chilean coast was and how important Chilean raw materials would be in time of war he left the implication that it would definitely be to our advantage to assist Chile to obtain adequate instruments of defense (please see second paragraph of despatch No. 603 of April 5th64). The Minister also referred as a potential source of danger to the large number of Japanese in Peru and to the German problem here in Chile.
He then referred in this connection to the importance of Easter Island especially in the event of a war involving Japan and mentioned the possibility of its being utilized by the United States as a link in the naval and aerial defense of this hemisphere. He thought that while there could be no transfer of sovereignty, public opinion here would agree to its being used in that way in view of the present troubled situation. He said that he had last night expressed similar ideas to the Ecuadoran Minister here (who I gather is contrary-minded) regarding the Galápagos Islands, adding that he thought the present situation called for courageous action which might, as in this instance, run somewhat counter to sentimental ideas of ownership, et cetera.