711.00111 Unlawful Shipment/Fritz Bieler, et al./1: Telegram
The Chargé in Mexico (Boal) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received December 31—1:15 a.m.]
229. A representative of Consolidated Aircraft here has just informed me that Avila Camacho, Secretary of War, told him that today he had had an interview with the President to inquire whether certain Mexican-made war material equipped with American-made instruments and gunnery now unserviceable might be sold to the Spanish Government representatives here for shipment to Spain. The President told the Secretary of War that he was desirous of helping President Roosevelt carry out his peace policies and therefore would not authorize such export without learning through the State Department or Embassy here that the American Government had no objection to the exportation of the American-made equipment involved. Apparently nothing was said to indicate that the President had any present objection to shipment to Spain of American-made aeroplanes purchased from private sources in Mexico or the United States.
This same informant advised me that Bieler’s Electra aeroplane mentioned in my 228 of December 30, 6 p.m.46 has been sold to the [Page 623] Spanish Government and that in connection with the transfer new Mexican license numbers were put on it yesterday. He further reports that he has learned that some officials in the Department of Communications are making up certificates of accidental destruction for some American planes brought in under tourist permit in order that these might be shipped to Spain.
President Roosevelt’s statements regarding shipments of war material published in the newspapers this morning47 here have made a deep impression. It is possible that if the Mexican Government were asked to inform our Government as to what American-made planes were being shipped out of Mexico to Spain with a view to determining whether they had entered Mexico under tourist permits or under contract not to resell for shipment for military purposes, they would cooperate to this extent and also to the extent of preventing any such planes identified from leaving the country.