852.48/262: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Bucknell) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 10—11:35 a.m.]
267. My telegram 257, September 30, 9 p.m.54 Loveday55 informs me he is today cabling Norman Davis as follows:
“Spanish Government has asked for League technical cooperation for study economic and financial questions involved in feeding refugees and we are sending two experts study situation. Understand American Red Cross has received million bushels wheat for these refugees from Government and might receive more. Could you inform me whether statement about million bushels correct and what further amount if any you expect to receive. We most anxious avoid any action which might embarrass your organization. Have you a representative in Spain with whom our experts could discuss. Loveday, Nations, Geneva.”
Loveday stated he was anxious that the League inquiry should in no way embarrass or delay the action being undertaken by the Red Cross as he considers the need for relief for Spanish refugees to be very urgent. An expert commission consisting of Sir Denys Bray and Lawrence Webster, both British, has already left for Spain. They consulted in Geneva with a representative of the International Commission for the Assistance of Child Refugees in Spain and will discuss the problem with representatives of that organization in Spain. The Secretariat is concerned over the difficulty of confining assistance solely to refugees and would be interested to learn whether this problem arises so far as the Red Cross is concerned.
[Page 376]Loveday mentioned incidentally that the Council action was taken before it was known here that such a substantial amount of wheat had been made available to the Red Cross.
- Not printed; it reported that the Council of the League of Nations had authorized the Secretary General to institute a preliminary inquiry on the spot regarding aid to refugees in Spain (852.48/257).↩
- Alexander Loveday, British, Director of Financial Section and Economic Intelligence Service, League of Nations.↩