852.2221/1200: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 6—9:25 a.m.]
1701. Your 714, September 25 [28], 5 p.m. Earl Browder, who has arrived in Paris, informs us that he has come here expressly for the purpose of effecting arrangements for the withdrawal of all American volunteers from Loyalist Spain. He believes there are at present approximately 1,000 American volunteers in Spain; that about 800 have already been repatriated and that casualties amount to about 2,000. He is operating through the French and Spanish Communist Parties and states that he will endeavor to accomplish the purpose indicated without a visit to Barcelona as he prefers not to go there. He inquired whether it were true as reported by individuals in Barcelona that any number of American passports of volunteers had been surrendered to this Embassy and he was informed that except about 30 which Amariglio delivered last June none has been received. He said that he was in accord with the proposition that the outstanding balance should be surrendered and would work to that end.
He also seems to entertain the hope that our Government will take some initiative toward the evacuation of American volunteers from Spain emphasizing that the organizations in the United States which are concerned are financially unable to bear the burden. He said that of course he was proposing to the Spanish Government that it pay the expenses but he did not hope for substantial aid because of the limited financial resources of the Spanish Government. He expressed a gloomy view of the present situation of the Barcelona Government and the conviction that the “capitalist” countries especially Great Britain were determined to end the Spanish affair quickly and in favor of Franco.
If, as I suppose, our Government will not repatriate the volunteers in question it seems to me that the responsibility lies between the Spanish Government and the American organizations which arranged their enlistment. Under such circumstances I believe the French authorities would admit for transit through France only individuals for whom a guaranty of expenses of repatriation to the United States is forthcoming.