Office of the Historian

834.50/25a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Paraguay (Frost)

Washington, May 4, 1942—6 p.m.

129. From the Under Secretary. Ever since my return from the Rio Conference18 I have been endeavoring to advance the negotiations for economic assistance to Paraguay. It was less than 3 weeks ago, however, that the Ambassador presented his memorandum19 indicating what Paraguay wanted. Upon entering into the negotiations I found that the Ambassador had no knowledge whatsoever of the existing credits which had been offered to the Paraguayan Government on mandioca processing, port works, and other public works projects.20 This surprised me very much and makes me wonder whether the very real cooperative assistance which this Government has offered Paraguay during the last 6 months is known in Governmental circles to say nothing of to the general public. I confess to a feeling that what we have offered to do has not produced in Paraguay the favorable repercussions that were to be expected.

During the time which I have had the Ambassador’s memorandum on economic assistance I had no word from you which would indicate that there was brewing such a potentially serious threat to hemisphere solidarity as now appears to have come to a head. I must ask you, therefore, to keep me fully informed hereafter by telegram of all significant occurrences affecting Paraguay’s internal and international situation. Had you informed me immediately of the results of the meeting of the Special Cabinet last Tuesday21 it would have been [Page 657] possible to have brought to a conclusion by the middle of last week the decisions here on economic and military assistance which I am now endeavoring to do this afternoon.

I know of the difficulties with which you have had to cope and believe you have made substantial progress in overcoming them but ask that hereafter when a situation is arising that can be assisted by action in Washington you let me know immediately and fully. [Welles.]

Hull
  1. For correspondence concerning this Conference, see vol. v, pp. 6 ff.↩
  2. Not printed.↩
  3. See Foreign Relations, 1941, vol. vii, pp. 484 ff.↩
  4. April 28.↩