853B.014/16

The Spanish Ambassador (Cárdenas) to the Secretary of State

[Translation]
No. 64

Mr. Secretary: With surprise and great displeasure I read in yesterday’s evening papers and saw reproduced in this morning’s papers the proposal of Senator Pepper7 asking that the United States seize various bases in the Pacific and in the Atlantic, among them the Canary Islands.

As the above-mentioned senator is a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs I cannot refrain from addressing to Your Excellency my protest against the attitude of the said member of the Senate.

Being convinced that the proposal in question does not represent the expression of official opinion, I should be very grateful if Your Excellency would be good enough to undo the bad impression that the incident has produced, at the same time clarifying the viewpoint of the American Government.

I avail [etc.]

Juan F. de Cárdenas
  1. Claude Pepper, Senator from Florida.