852.48/222
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of European Affairs (Moffat)
The Spanish Ambassador called this afternoon to inquire as to the progress of the American relief effort in Spain. I told him that since our last talk considerable thought had been given to the problem, but that although we were not able to give as much as he had hoped, nonetheless it would probably be possible to give a little bit more than we had thought that day. As a matter of fact, the Central Committee of the Red Cross was meeting tomorrow, and the idea was to make an announcement shortly thereafter and to start the flour moving just as soon as possible.
He asked what figures I estimated, and in accordance with what Mr. Davis45 had said, I indicated that it would probably be about 250,000 bushels of wheat, which is the equivalent of 60,000 barrels of flour, enough to take care of 500,000 women and children for some time. The Ambassador expressed gratitude for this assistance, and I think appreciated that it had meant considerable work on the part of a good many individuals and agencies.
However, he said that from his point of view the problem had not yet been fully met inasmuch as there were at least 3,000,000 refugees (exclusive of men of military age) who would be starving. In fact, his Government had telegraphed him that if aid were not forthcoming maybe one-half a million people would die of hunger and cold this coming winter.
He was groping for ways and means to obtain additional funds. He thought that a corporation might be set up in this country which could obtain bank credit wherewith to purchase, at subsidized figures, additional supplies to be distributed in Spain. He was exceedingly hazy as to the details, and had obviously not thought the matter through. He was trying to evolve some agency to which credit could be extended that would not run into the provisions of the Neutrality Act against the extension of credit. He thought the Red Cross might [Page 369] even be tied up with such a corporation, but I told him that in my opinion the Red Cross could at best appear only as sole beneficiary.
On this point the conversation was without conclusion other than my agreeing to mention the idea to Norman Davis and see if his ingenuity could evolve some other scheme for solving the problem.
The Spanish Government undertook to allocate at least ten trucks, and maybe more, to the relief organizations.
In regard to political matters the Ambassador said that, according to his information, vast quantities of war supplies and materials had again been sent to General Franco by the Germans and Italians. He attributed the recent Ebro offensive to a desire on their part to have this coincide with the Nuremberg Conference and the pressure on the Czechs.
- Norman H. Davis, Chairman of the American Red Gross.↩