852.00/8993: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:10 p.m.]
364. Your 111, February 24, 5 p.m. Rochat showed Wilson this morning in strict confidence the text of the declaration given Hodgson, the British agent, by General Jordana a week ago. (This is the declaration to which Bonnet referred in the conversation reported in my 334 [354], February 23, 6 p.m.40)
The declaration was made in response to British efforts to obtain assurances that Franco would refrain from political reprisals and [Page 753] would maintain the independence of Spain. [Here follows a summary of General Franco’s declaration similar to the summary contained in the British aide-mémoire of February 22, 1939, printed on page 751.]
Rochat said that the French Government considered that this declaration was the most which could be obtained from Franco under present conditions. The laws in existence in Spain as of July 16, 1936, of course, provide for special military tribunals to try political offenders. It is not, however, the letter of the assurances received which will prove of ultimate importance but the spirit in which the assurances are carried out. The French Government has no way of knowing to what extent Franco will in fact refrain from political reprisals but it considers that the statement that Franco is not moved by a spirit of reprisal is of value and it has no reason to believe that Franco intends to act contrary thereto. An important factor naturally will be the decision of the Loyalist side either to surrender or to provoke further bloodshed by continuing the hopeless struggle.
Daladier said to me a few days ago that a great many people wanted him to insist upon obtaining definite assurances of a political amnesty from Franco before extending recognition. He himself felt that this was absurd and that much the best way to prevent reprisals of a political character would be for France to recognize at once and thereby have an official French representative on the spot to use his influence in behalf of clemency.
It might be added that Rochat stated that the present plan is for the French and British Governments to announce recognition of Franco following the meeting of the French Cabinet scheduled to take place next Monday afternoon. It has not been decided as yet who will be the new French Ambassador to Nationalist Spain.41