852.00/9703: Telegram
The Ambassador in Spain (Weddell) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 20—9:03 a.m.]
655. In my telegram 650, July 18, 5 p.m., are quoted essential remarks made by the Caudillo in his speech to the National Council of the Falange Party on July 17th.
A partial canvass of my Pan-American colleagues indicates that they consider the speech as one of extreme violence; as a verdict I can testify that it lost nothing in its delivery. The Brazilian Ambassador remarked to me that he supposed of course a protest would be made concerning it. To another colleague the speech itself was “the most violent” he had ever heard from a Chief of State.
[Page 911]In paragraph 2 of the telegram under reference appears a statement concerning 100,000 tons of wheat bought and paid for in North America by the Spanish Government, delivery of which was prevented by our [apparent omission]. It is clear therefore that “North America” can mean only the United States. The files of this Embassy furnish no warrant for such a declaration. On the other hand its records do reveal large Red Cross gifts.
In all the circumstances I suggest for the Department’s consideration and appropriate instruction whether I should not lodge a formal protest and denial concerning this coupled with a clear statement of the value of the American Red Cross gifts to the Spanish people concerning which Franco was silent. This had [help?], if I am not vitally mistaken, about equals the value of the wheat alleged to have been sold to the Spanish Government and then withheld [?] I suggest also that the text of the note be made public in the United States and that I be authorized to give publicity to it here. While the Spanish press would probably decline to publish it I can make it available in mimeograph form to a large number of persons including officials of the Spanish Government.