711.5221/39
The Secretary of State to the Spanish Ambassador (Riaño)
Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of March 15, 1924, enclosing a copy of Article 20 of the Consular Convention of January 7, 1862, between Spain and France and a copy of the Convention signed by Spain and the Argentine Republic on November 27, 1919, in regard to indemnities on account of labor accidents, which you suggest might serve as a basis for the negotiation of a Convention between the United States and Spain in [Page 689] regard to the intervention of consuls in the settlement of estates and indemnities for labor accidents.
The draft for a Treaty of Friendship and Commerce presented to the Spanish Minister of State by the American Ambassador at Madrid in June, 1923,13 contains, particularly in Articles II, XXIV and XXV, provisions relating to the subjects to which your note refers.
While this Government will be glad to negotiate with your Government in regard to the subjects mentioned, it would nevertheless prefer to have them considered in connection with the treaty of friendship and commerce. This Government will be glad to examine the treaty provisions which you have brought to my attention while awaiting an expression of the views of the Spanish Government in regard to the proposals which were made at Madrid.
Accept [etc.]