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Press Releases, vol. XIV, p. 162
President Roosevelt to the
President of the Argentine Republic (Justo) [27]
THE WHITE HOUSE, January 30, 1936.
DEAR MR. PRESIDENT:
The agreement by the Governments of Bolivia
and Paraguay upon the peace protocols recently negotiated at Buenos Aires has
afforded the Government and people of the United States the deepest
gratification, since it has led them to hope that there is now every prospect
of a permanent and equitable solution of this tragic controversy, which has
continued for so long a period; which has caused the sacrifice of so many
lives; and which has placed so crushing a burden of expenditure upon the
citizens of the two belligerent nations. I know well with what intimate concern
the Government and people of Argentina have followed the course of these
hostilities, and their happiness at the termination of the conflict is fully
shared by the Government and people of the United States.
I cherish the sincere conviction that the
moment has now arrived when the American Republics, through their designated
representatives seated at a common council table, should seize this altogether
favorable opportunity to consider their joint responsibility and their common
need of rendering less likely in the future the outbreak or he continuation of
hostilities between them, and by so doing, serve in an eminently practical
manner the cause of permanent peace on this Western Continent. If the tragedy
of the Chaco can be consid-
[27] Practically identical letters were sent at the same time to the Presidents of the other American republics.
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DOCUMENTS
ered as having served any useful end, I believe such end will lie in our
joint willingness to profit from the experience learned and to exert our common
endeavors in guarding against the repetition of such American disasters.
It has seemed to me that the American
Governments might for these reasons view favorably the suggestion that an
extraordinary inter-American conference be summoned to assemble at an early
date, at Buenos Aires, should the Government of the Argentine Republic so
desire, or, if not, at some other capital of this Continent, to determine how
the maintenance of peace among the American Republics may best be
safeguarded—whether, perhaps, through the prompt ratification of all of the
inter-American peace instruments already negotiated; whether through the
amendment of existing peace instruments in such manner as experience has
demonstrated to be most necessary; or perhaps through the creation by common
accord of new instruments of peace additional to those already formulated.
These steps, furthermore, would advance the
cause of world peace, inasmuch as the agreements which might be reached would
supplement and reinforce the efforts of the League of Nations and of all other
existing or future peace agencies in seeking to prevent war.
With the conclusion of the Chaco War and with
the reestablishment of peace throughout this Continent, there would appear to
be offered an opportunity for helpful counsel among our respective governments
which may not soon again be presented. Your Excellency's devotion to the
maintenance of peace between the American Republics is well known, and I would
therefore deeply appreciate such views as Your Excellency may care to express
to me, as I would likewise value highly Your Excellency's opinion whether such
a special inter-American conference of the American Republics would not in fact
prove most beneficial.
I am addressing myself thus personally to
Your Excellency, instead of through the usual diplomatic channels, because of
my thought that the questions at issue are of such vital concern to the people
of this Continent as to warrant a personal interchange of views between the
Presidents of the American Republics.
With the expression of my warm regard,
believe me, my dear Mr. President,
Faithfully yours,
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT