752.00114/29
The Ambassador in Spain (Bowers), Then in France, to the Secretary of State
[Received July 6.]
Sir: I have the honor to report as follows on my intermediation, agreed to in your telegram No. B–433, May 20th, 6 p.m., for an exchange of certain prisoners between the Spanish Government and the Franco Organization.
You will have observed in the list submitted to me by Marquis de Rialp, head of General Franco’s commission for the exchange of prisoners, that there were 29 rebel aviators, and only 15 Government aviators and that it was proposed to make up the difference of fourteen by adding that number from among the Americans in the International Brigade.
I suspect that the Francoists realized the unfairness of the proposal to exchange aviators for private soldiers and that the Americans were added, instead of private soldiers of other nationalities, on the theory that I would press for the acceptance of the plan, and that the Government would find it embarrassing to refuse.
I have acted strictly on instructions that we have nothing whatever to do with the selection of the prisoners to be exchanged and that my sole function is that of a go-between.
The reply of Sr. Del Vayo, sent directly to me here, is to the effect that after discussing the Franco proposal with Sr. Giral, who is in charge of such matters for the Government, Barcelona agrees to an exchange—but an exchange of aviators for aviators, officers for officers of equal rank, and privates for privates; but cannot agree to exchange Franco aviators for Government privates. He adds that the Government would be pleased to effect an exchange for the Americans but that it would have to be on the basis of private for private.
This reply is so manifestly fair and natural, that I should have been astonished had any other come.
Marquis de Rialp was immediately notified, and this morning he came to see me with the proposal that this exchange be confined to aviators, and since Franco holds but 15 loyalist aviators, he has selected fifteen Franco aviators from the list of twenty-nine originally submitted.
This gives the advantage to the Government, since Rialp proposes that foreigners exchanged on either side shall return to their own homes and not resume fighting, but that Spaniards may resume fighting if they please.
[Page 302]The new list consists of three Russians on the Government side and twelve Spaniards as before; and on the Franco side there are nine Italians, one Portuguese, and only five Spaniards.
I have transmitted the revised list to Sr. Del Vayo for transmission to Sr. Giral, and there seems good grounds to expect a successful issue.
In his letter to me Sr. Del Vayo in expressing a willingness to make the exchange says he does so “in spite of the profound deceptions which we have suffered in such matters, as a consequence of the utter lack of sincerity or of a humanitarian sense in the rebels.”
Apropos of the inclusion of the fourteen Americans in the Franco list he says:
“In the case of the Americans who have fought on our side, with a courage to which I desire to pay homage, and because of your highly esteemed intervention, my Government would be disposed to exchange the 14 Americans in the list for the same number of rebel or foreign prisoners belonging to the military force not being of the aviation.”
I call particular attention to another paragraph from Sr. Del Vayo’s letter:
“I take due note of the fact that while you are authorized by the American Government to act as an intermediary in the proposed exchange, you cannot assume any responsibility for it.”
I am thoroughly convinced that this new proposition relieves us of considerable embarrassment in eliminating the Americans of the International Brigade, since we have no provision in Government funds for sending the fourteen Americans back to the United States.
Respectfully yours,