611.5231/822
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Western European Affairs (Moffat)
The Spanish Ambassador called this afternoon. He reminded me that on August 17, he had brought in an aide-mémoire, dated August 15, giving certain guarantees with respect to quotas until November 30 next; in particular, an assurance that no quotas would be established which would affect the United States. Mr. Hickerson had told him that our original proposal respecting quotas had also called for an assurance that the United States would be given its fair share of the quotas already adopted or other quotas which might be adopted even if the quota did not affect us primarily. The Ambassador was now in receipt of a reply from Madrid and was bringing down the desired assurances in the form of an aide-mémoire (see copy and translation attached20). He said that as Spain had now given the assurances that we desired, he hoped we would, confirm it in a note or memorandum giving similar or reciprocal guarantees to Spain. Inasmuch as we had no quotas in this country, such assurances would be simple.
[Page 706]He then made two further requests,—the first was that this exchange of guarantees be kept confidential. The reason for this request was that if it became known that Spain was going to delay the setting up of a number of important quotas until the end of November, it might adversely affect her bargaining position with other countries.
The second request the Ambassador made was that we give him as soon as possible and even before the first formal meeting of the negotiators our list of desiderata. The reason for this lay in the fact that he would have to refer this at once to Madrid. If we effected a simultaneous exchange of lists, we could begin to study our proposed action right away while the Spaniards would be delayed in commencing their studies for at least a fortnight. He asked about the hearings for interested American industries and I explained as best I could the working out of that system. I agreed to let the Ambassador know as soon as Mr. Sayre, Mr. Grady and others had studied over the Spanish note. If their studies bore out the satisfactory nature of the assurances, we would at once set up our Spanish country committee and proceed with all reasonable haste possible.
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