710 Consultation 4/12–444: Telegram
The Ambassador in Chile (Bowers) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:40 p.m.]
1878. For Secretary and Armour. Saw Fernández immediately after talking with Spaeth and informed him accordingly. He then amplified on his own suggestion which he still thinks the most effective to be taken against the Argentine regime. However, at 6 tonight he will hand me his answer which will be an acceptance of the 3 points, our position,85 but he will add for us alone and not for distribution, this observation because of which he made his own suggestion. He cannot reconcile point 1 with point 3. In point 1 we say that the Board of Pan American Union will summon a meeting to discuss [Page 74] postwar matters and in point 3 we stipulate that Argentine will be heard only after the conclusion of the postwar conference. He raises the point that if the postwar meeting is to be called by the Board of the Union, Argentina must be invited and will thus sit throughout the entire conference on postwar matters. He thinks juridically this is inescapable and is sure it is not what we want. He thinks that without a clarification of this point and a correction, Argentina is getting what she wants, that is participation in the postwar conference. This he will add to his written agreement to accept our 3 points, but since it would indicate a more pronounced anti-Argentine attitude than the others he would not want this part given out to anyone.
He also suggests that the Union meeting for the 6th should by all means be postponed to permit of a general review of all the replies and a possible revision of the plans.