852.00/4516
Memorandum by the Secretary of State
The Spanish Ambassador called and, after taking up some other matters, expressed his regrets and those of his Government upon the passage of the recent Resolution, authorizing the President to prohibit shipments of supplies to either of the contending military forces in his country. I repeated to him about what I said to him some months ago when he first arrived here and made a similar complaint. I again emphasized the friendship of our Government towards his people and the friendly relations which we had sought in every way to preserve between his Government and ours. He agreed entirely with my statement and attitude that American people undoubtedly felt that way. I again emphasized that in view of the attitude of the European Governments and the danger of an international clash in connection with the Spanish situation and the non-intervention policy being pursued by France and other known friends of the Spanish Government, there was no other recourse for the United States except to remain aloof.