852.48/822: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Spain (Weddell)
363. Your 737, December 20, 8 p.m. If you will look back over and construe the record in its logical development you will see that the whole question of assistance to Spain is based on our policy of furnishing all possible assistance short of war to Great Britain in her defense against aggression. Any assistance that we may give to Spain [Page 852] therefore, must be governed primarily by the attitude and actions of the Spanish Government in the present war. In line with our traditional policy of extending relief to help meet urgent human needs in other countries we are interested in any practical way of relieving distress in Spain and of promoting the peaceful reconstruction of that country. However, unless it is clearly evident that the Spanish Government wishes to pursue such a course of peaceful reconstruction it would be difficult to justify here the expenditure of Government funds for assistance to Spain.
The foregoing basic considerations were, as you will recall, set forth in our confidential telegram no. 295 of November 8, 6 p.m. At that time the attitude and actions of the Spanish Government indicated the adoption of a policy of increasing collaboration with the Axis, which the Spanish Foreign Minister himself characterized as a policy of political solidarity with Germany and Italy. At the same time we had observed increasing indications of an unfriendly attitude on the part of the Spanish Government toward the United States, with particular reference to our relations with the other American Republics, to which reference was had in our no. 339, December 10, 7 p.m. In the face of these developments we were not prepared to continue with our plans for the shipment of foodstuffs to Spain.
The matter was thus continuing in complete abeyance until a little later when the British Government revived the question by bringing to our attention its plans to make available to Spain a quantity of wheat from Argentina and Canada, and urging that we proceed at the same time with the plan for shipment of foodstuffs to Spain through the American Red Cross. It seemed evident from the British plans that the British Government considered itself justified in extending credits to Spain under the safeguards provided.
At the same time, however, we had pressed upon us for consideration the whole question of food shipments to European countries not involved in the war, and especially of shipments of milk for children in unoccupied France. Although the British Government has been quite clear in agreeing to shipments of foodstuffs to Spain, it apparently has not entirely or finally clarified its attitude toward American food shipments to other unoccupied countries. We have been striving to find a solution to both the Spanish and French relief problems.
You have no idea of the difficulties we are facing in connection with the whole food relief problem by reason of the terrific criticism of our preparing to send relief to Spain without at the same time sending milk to children and babies, especially in unoccupied France.
For all the foregoing reasons, and while we are continuing discussions with the British about French relief, we have felt that announcement of the British intention to make shipments of foodstuffs available [Page 853] to Spain should be made before we announce our own action. Unless announcement were first made by the British the whole prospect of food shipments as well as of further discussions of possible purchases by Spain of foodstuffs and other materials in the United States would be jeopardized.
In the light of the foregoing consideration, if the British Government is no longer prepared to make foodstuffs available to Spain because of acts of the Spanish Government which it considers to be of an unfriendly nature or intended to assist the Axis Powers, we certainly cannot justify such assistance to Spain on our part. We have all along considered these shipments as an initial step in the whole program of peaceful reconstruction of Spain, an emergency measure to help meet the critical food situation in Spain until a satisfactory basis for more concrete economic collaboration and assistance could be worked out. Our attitude in this regard, it should be observed, is not based on support of Britain in any particular political controversy with Spain, but upon the broad considerations which we have set forth in the foregoing paragraphs.
We wish to make it perfectly clear to you, in thus setting forth the details of our position, that we are not seeking to create further obstacles to delay the shipment of food to Spain. The delay which has thus far occurred would have been obviated if the Spanish Government in recent weeks had followed a policy clearly indicating a desire to develop closer and more friendly relations with us, rather than a policy of increasing collaboration with the Axis. We hope that this statement of our position will clarify the points raised in your no. 737 and will serve to explain the reason for our proceeding in the manner set forth in our no. 350 of December 19, 7 p.m.
With reference to the language of the statement to be made public by the American Red Cross, Mr. Norman Davis has approved retention of the statement as set forth in our no. 257 of October 18, 3 p.m., with the insertion of the words “on certain conditions” after the words “Chief of the Spanish State” in the first sentence. The first sentence would then read as follows:
“In accordance with the suggestion of the President of the United States, the American Red Cross has offered to the Chief of the Spanish State on certain conditions the shipment to Spain of a cargo of wheat or flour to meet the most immediate needs of the civilian population.”
We feel that it would not be desirable for the statement to be released by the American Red Cross in Washington and that to be released simultaneously in Madrid to differ in any way.
You will recall that as previously arranged this statement, after it has been mutually agreed upon, is not to be released until authorization is received from the Department.