Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1938, General, Volume I

852.2221/1246: Telegram

The Ambassador in Spain (Bowers), Then in France, to the Secretary of State

St. Jean de Luz, October 31, 1938—1 p.m.
[Received October 31—11 a.m.]

550. Your telegram No. B–463, October 29. Am preparing to approach Rialp on exchange of all remaining Americans for equal number Italians and will await Bay’s new list before submitting names. Del Vayo has already agreed to this.

2. In clarification of my 547. I submitted Franco’s request that I act as intermediary in my 487, May 19,⁵ and you telegraphed authorization in your B–433, May 20,⁵ provided that notice was served both sides that I assumed “no responsibility”. Am acting on these instructions and entirely within them and am reporting actual developments. Aviator list pending because of disagreement on one man. Am acting largely as a postoffice.

3. Nothing given correspondents on negotiations remaining Americans but impossible to prevent their speculating on the possibility.

Bowers

5. Ante, p. 285.
5. Ante, p. 285.