852.2221/1250: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 3—2:14 p.m.]
1857. Your 826, November 1, 7 p.m. The group of wounded Americans from Spain to whom White refers are evidently 54 volunteers said to be American citizens who after demobilization are ready for evacuation from Spain. They apparently form part of a group of approximately 300 men comprising several nationalities including about 60 French nationals who arrived at Cerbere on the French frontier on October 31. The competent French authorities decided to admit the French nationals only, as the others apparently had not complied with present French regulations. We are informed by the Foreign Office that present regulations require each returning volunteer desiring to cross France to be in possession of either a passport or a police certificate identifying him duly visaed by the French authorities in Barcelona. The latter are instructed in such cases to grant transit visas without privilege of sojourn in France. A showing will also be required that every individual will be financially able or that provision will be made for him enabling him to depart from France. Furthermore, the returning men will be subjected to a medical examination by French doctors who will be stationed at the frontier. The French authorities require also that a list of the names with an indication of date and place of birth of each group of volunteers be supplied to the Ministry of the Interior ten days in advance of the arrival of the group at the French frontier.
It is understood that there are approximately 600 so-called American volunteers who are ready to leave the Barcelona area. On the bases of past experience probably 10 percent of these men are foreigners.
Amariglio has been urging this Embassy to prevail on the French authorities to admit the entire group offering to furnish a list of their names. We have informed him that we are disinclined to take such action in the absence of better proof of their citizenship. His organization has been able to recover passports in the majority of cases recently. We have had several assurances from Browder and Amariglio that a happy solution of the entire passport question would shortly be found but as yet there is no evidence of the early return of the apparently large number of passports issued to men who have volunteered for service in the Loyalist forces.
[Page 334]We have insisted that those passports issued to men who have been killed in action or who are missing must in a large number of cases be available. Unless recovery is made before evacuation of the remaining volunteers it is doubtful there will be a subsequent opportunity.
Thurston informed.