852.2221/1290: Telegram

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

557. Your telegram No. B–462, October 22, 2 p.m. Marquis de Rialp November 14 summarized:

“Being always desirous of attending to all requests which the Embassy may make to me through you, who so worthily represents it, I have examined the affair with the greatest attention in order to find the quickest and most favorable solution. As you know, since it has just been published in the press, the Government of Burgos has agreed to fully evacuate the foreign legions which are in Madrid. For that purpose it has to find as a counterpart prisoners now in the concentration camps and since from the first of last September an English commission for the exchange of prisoners has been set up in Pau it is this commission which must consider the prisoners who may be exchanged, that is to say, if those who have foreign nationality can be used for that purpose. For this purpose I think that the best manner of successfully carrying out the proposition which you make to me is that the Embassy take steps with the English commission and if it should accept the using of North Americans as a counterpart, I think that I do not take any risk in informing you that on the part of my Government there will not be the slightest difficulty in exchanging them in the category above-mentioned as a counterpart for the refugees in the Embassies.”

Refugees in Embassies are Franco Spaniards and on evacuation enter Franco Spain while foreigners exchanged for them must return to their own countries. First, I doubt if Barcelona would agree for this reason. Second, I doubt if English commission would exchange Americans while English prisoners are held.

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It is too much to expect Franco to release the Americans on any basis but an exchange somewhere and there still are Italian prisoners.

Would like your reaction before renewing discussions with Rialp.

Bowers