(1) Argentina is not pro-Nazi. nor is it Fascist (2) Argentina is very pro-Ally.
(3) Argentina is certainly not neutral. If you don't believe it. ask the Nazis
(4). Argentine policy favours England more than any other country in the world. (5) England is handling the situation superbly and to her benefit.
These are points about Argentina made in a long letter that has reached this country from Buenos Aires, in which Argentine policy is interestingly analysed.
" I have not the slightest doubt," the correspondent says, that to an Englishman the Argentine attitude causes acute annoyance and impatience, but you must remember that we out here are equally annoyed and impatient with the attitude of Eire, Sweden, Turkey and others, whb are in a position to do much more harm to the Allied cause through neutrality than Argentina ever could. Besides, my personal observation leads me to the conclusion that this country's foreign policy follows very closely the methods employed by the British Government all through the nineteenth and part of the twentieth century. Argentina is a very proud and very independent country and it is trying to form its own policy free from outside influences of any sort whatsoever, especially if the lead is taken by the U.S. Here is the real clashing of interests.
The U.S. is doing everything in its power to establish its influence in South America (the merits or demerits of this policy I will not enter into at this time) and Argentina is trying to become the leader of South America at the same time. Psychologically, leadership can only be merited and attained by the nation which can show itself strong enough to defy, counter and survive the attempts of stronger Powers to establish their moral and material hegemony ovee it. This is being done very satisfactorily indeed at the present moment by Argentina to the astonishment of the rest of South Amenica and thiNorth too. The consequence is a growing respect and a growing tendency of other Republics to accept het leadership even though they are not in a position to do so openly
lustARnw
ARGENTINE'S
Argentina is the only country which is able and ready to exist without American Lease-Lend and Jet to maintain the highest standard of living and financial strength on the whole continent.
One of the contentions used against Argentina abroad is that she harbours spies and propagandists. This may or may not be so, but let rut assure you that every obstacle possible short of tepatriation is put in the way of the agents involved.
Every morning when I open my newspaper I can read a cable from La Linea in Spain giving a detailed account of war transports, cargo ships, ships of the line, aircraft carriers, etc.. which have entered or left Gibraltar during the day That seems to me to be of far gmater importance than some casual information emanating from here to the effect that some cargo ship left B.A. bound for God knows where and with 6,000 miles of ocean ahead of it.
As . for propaganda, let me also assure you that the Axis Governments could well have spared themselves the time and money if public opinion is anything to judge fume The Government here is definitely not pro-Nazi, neither is it Fascist. As a matter of fact, it is probably the strongest and best Government this country has had for thirty years. You must remember that it is a military Government, and so consequently may not be up to all the diplomatic tricks and usages of a civilian outfit.
MOST APPROXIMATES TO EUROPE Ot all the South American Republics, Argentina is the only one which approximates to Europe in culture and outlook and is the only one, with the possible exception of Peru, which does not have a coloured problem to contend with. It is far and away the most advanced in the scale of civilisation as we understand it. Argentina's neutrality policy is purely secondary to her policy of withstanding U.S. cultural and economic insinuations, and this policy is to the eventual benefit of England and Europe, with whom the future of Argentina is linked far more closely than with U.S.A.
The U.S.A. needs Argentina as a market for her goods, but Argentina does not need the U.S. in that respect. Argentine products complement U.S. It is England and Europe which need Argentine wheat, meat, wool, corn and linseed and leather. The U.S. has a surplus of these goods for export and Argentina is her competitor on very much more favourable terms.
Another thing I would like to impress you with is this. No country or Government in the world lends money to any other without some quid pro quo, and no country can borrow money or materials of the Lease-Lend type without feeling some sort of inferiority and therefore, curiously enough. some sort of resenunent which is always present and manifests itself in the 'elationship betwen the debtor and his creditor. This is something that England understands perfectly well when it comes to her foreign relationships, hut it is something which the young U.S.A. has still to learn and which will cost her something in the long run.
WHY SHE FOLLOWS THIS PATH
The only benefits which would accrue to Argentina if she adopted any other attitude would be detrimental to her sovereignty and economic welfare. Her sovereignty would suffer inasmuch as she would become dependent almost immediately on U.S. protection militarily and economically with all that involves. She has a small merchant navy which amounts to about sixty ships which trade with Europe, U.S.A. and Africa. These would certainly be open to attack at all times and her internal economy would suffer in consequence She would be obliged to have recourse to Lease-Lend, and that is what she wants to avoid because onOe you fall into the dap there is no climbing out without loss.