Lot 544

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Description:

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
(1882 - 1945) Thirty-second President of the United States who instituted the "New Deal" programs and who led the United States through most of World War II. Fine association T.L.S. as President on White House letterhead, 4pp. 4to., Washington, Jan. 30, 1936, to President of Peru, Oscar R. Benavides. Following the conclusion of the bloody Chaco War and the treaties signed between the warring parties Roosevelt applies for support for continued peace from Peru. In part: "...The agreement by the Governments of Bolivia and Paraguay upon the peace protocols recently negotiated at Buenos Aires has afforded the Goverment 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 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 the 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 Chaco can be considered 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...With the conclusion of the Chaco War and with the reestablishment of peace throughout this Continenet, there would appear to be offered an opportunity for helpful consel 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...". The Chaco War was waged by Bolivia and Paraguay from 1932-1935 over control over the northern part of the Gran Chano region purportedly (but not actually) rich in oil and considered one of the most costly South American military conflicts. Despite its economic and military disadvantages, Paraguay came to control most of disputed lands by the war's end. In the official 1938 truce, after which some 100,000 men had lost their lives, Paraguay was awarded three-quarters of the Chaco Boreal. A peace treaty was arranged in June 1935 by the Chaco Peace Conference, attended by neutral nations Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru and the U.S. but the actual treaty not signed July 21, 1938. In May 1934, Roosevelt had signed a proclamation banning the sale of arms and munitions to both Bolivia and Paraguay which ironically had little effect on the war but was felt a great deal within the American judicial system with a suit brought forth by aircraft manufacturer Curtiss-Wright. Boldly signed, additional folds, very good.

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January 31, 2013 11:00 AM EST
Stamford, CT, US

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