852.00/5637
The Spanish Ambassador (De los Rios) to the Secretary of State
Memorandum
The Ambassador of Spain, with reference to the conversation that he held yesterday morning with the Secretary of State, in order to inform him as to what has occurred in Spain in the last few days and to make the most energetic protest in the name of Spain to the Secretary of State, as the representative of the United States Government, against the bombardment of the city of Almeria by German warships, desires to present for the consideration of the Secretary of State, a study of the following facts:
- First: By virtue of the agreements of the London Non-intervention Committee, the patrol (vigilancia) of the island of Ibiza is incumbent on French vessels;
- Second: By virtue of the decisions of the said Committee, patrolling vessels cannot enter Spanish jurisdictional waters;
- Third: The decisions of said Committee forbid the use, by vessels exercising patrol duties, of Spanish supply ports other than those which have been specifically indicated: for this purpose certain ports of Morocco were assigned to Germany;
- Fourth: Even though the German warship was violating the above-mentioned decisions, it was the ship itself that opened fire on the Spanish airplanes which were proceeding to Majorca on a reconnoitering flight. They replied by bombing the aggressor;
- Fifth: Germany, instead of sending the pertinent statement of facts to the Non-intervention Committee, in order that the latter might proceed as required by justice, organized a naval expedition, and, without any notice whatever to the civilian population, carried out an atrocious bombardment of the city of Almeria which is practically reduced to ruins.
It will be abundantly clear to the enlightened intelligence of the Secretary of State and the United States Government that to take such a step as that taken by Germany without its being preceded by any explanation through international agencies fortunately existing, presupposes a complete disintegration of all the norms of international life, as it is equivalent to substituting for them purely unilateral decisions.
The Ambassador of Spain has the honor to transmit to the Secretary of State a copy of the telegraphic information received from the Spanish Government3 pertaining to the matter to which this memorandum refers.
- Not printed.↩