710.Consultation 2 (C)/44: Telegram
The Secretary of State to
the Ambassador in Uruguay (Dawson)
Washington, May 20, 1942—9
p.m.
284. For Spaeth: Department’s 274, May 18.1 In your capacity as delegate to the Inter-American
Conference on Coordination of Police and Judicial Measures you should be
guided by the following instructions:
- “1. The Department is extremely doubtful of the
advisability of entering at this time into any agreement
which might be reached at Buenos Aires for the establishment
of any system of exchange of information with regard to
subversive activities which might entail obligations, real
or implied, for this Government to furnish such information
on demand of any other American republic. The present
attitude of the Argentine Government with respect to full
and unreserved cooperation for defense of the continent is
too well known to require comment. Moreover, there is
serious doubt in the minds of policy officers of this
Department whether any information which might be
transmitted to a central exchange might not find its way
through one means or another into Axis hands.
- 2. For this reason, while desirous of strengthening in
every way consistent with the broad interests of this
Government the general structure of inter-American
machinery, the Department’s attitude towards the conference
in Buenos Aires has necessarily been conditioned by the
attendance at the Conference of certain officials harboring
doubtful sympathy toward this Government.
- 3. Accordingly, while the American delegate should take
every opportunity to show his willingness to cooperate with
the delegates from the other American republics, he should
avoid making any commitment for an information center on
subversive activities of the type described in numbered
paragraph 1 above, as well as any other commitments for the
exchange of intelligence information without prior reference
to the Department and definite approval of those projects by
Washington.
- 4. The Department feels, however, that the conference at
Buenos Aires will afford a useful opportunity for the
members of our delegation to get in touch and to establish
friendly relations with representatives of the
law-enforcement agencies of the other American republics who
are concerned with subversive activities and other matters
affecting the political defense of the continent.
- 5. Upon your arrival in Buenos Aires you will doubtless
want to discuss the conference and its possible aims and
political implications with Ambassador Armour so as to
obtain the benefit of any suggestions which he may desire to
communicate to you.
- 6. The Department does not intend to present any draft
resolutions for consideration by the conference.”
It is requested that you forward immediately a copy of these instructions
to the American Ambassador in Buenos Aires for his information, guidance
and comment.
