123 Bowers, Claude G/73: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Straus) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 26—7:30 p.m.]
660. Hallett Johnson, First Secretary of Embassy, Madrid,63 and Captain Griffiss, Assistant Military Attaché, Paris and Madrid, have just telephoned me 8:30 p.m. from St. Jean de Luz. They both urge that the Department should immediately by radio to the Cayuga order Ambassador Bowers and his household to leave Fuenterrabia where [Page 646] they are now living and come to France. Ambassador Bowers is now completely out of touch with the situation throughout Spain, is isolated, and according to Johnson and Griffiss may within 24 or 48 hours be in serious danger. Bowers, according to Johnson, has stated that he would remain at his post unless some emergency arose. In the opinion of Johnson and Griffiss that emergency has arisen. The Cayuga is now at St. Jean de Luz having brought there all Americans from San Sebastián, including all members of the Embassy staff who have been in San Sebastián, as well as Dutch and Norwegian Ministers and many other diplomats. In San Sebastián anarchy reigns. There is fighting in the streets and bombardments every day and if the rebel soldiers capture it there will be terrible bloodshed because there is no sparing of life. Bowers at Fuenterrabia is only 15 miles from San Sebastián, and, though Fuenterrabia has up to the present time been quiet, since yesterday there is much activity around him. Both rebels and Government troops are concentrating in that neighborhood, the rebels in preparation for an attack on San Sebastián in the course of which Fuenterrabia and Irun would be the scene of very severe fighting. Griffiss and Johnson are starting back to Fuenterrabia tomorrow night on the Cayuga and urge that the Department should have a radio to the Cayuga before they reach Fuenterrabia so that they can present the Department’s command to the Ambassador and take him off on the Cayuga to France while there is still time. Johnson suggests that if Ambassador Bowers had his headquarters in the American Consulate in Biarritz he could much better take care of American interests than he can from Fuenterrabia. Griffiss saw Bowers yesterday. He and Mrs. Bowers are well and have plenty of food. Kindly immediately telegraph receipt of this telegram.
- An error; he was Counselor of Embassy.↩