711.52/194: Telegram
The Ambassador in Spain (Weddell) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 24—4:05 p.m.]
855. Cárdenas after requesting an appointment called this morning. He told me that he had just had two talks with Suñer and was preparing to see the Caudillo with the Foreign Minister.
[Page 918]He said that he returned from Washington with a certain feeling of discouragement because of the general attitude of our Government which he could not but feel was linked up with the situation here, laying special emphasis on my unsatisfactory relations with the Foreign Minister. He had discussed with Suñer these unfortunate relations and the latter had iterated and reiterated my “offensive conduct” in the course of my interview reported in my No. 337, April 19, 6 p.m. My remarks at that time concerning Spain’s sovereignty, the Ambassador said, seemed to be the crux of the entire matter, that in accusing Spain of having lost her sovereignty I had inflicted a deep moral wound.
I assured the Ambassador that I found it difficult to believe this latter was the case, that it seemed an obvious afterthought for as late as May 1, the Minister had written me in terms of such friendliness and cordiality as to provoke comment in my Chancery (for text of this note see my 551, June 15, 10 p.m.).
The Ambassador then referred to his 40 years in diplomacy in which he said he had constantly “sacrificed” himself for the sake of harmony and that I should show a conciliatory spirit.
I remarked that I thought I had consistently demonstrated such a spirit and that on various occasions I had “swallowed” gross rudenesses on the part of the Foreign Minister while the outstanding fact in all my relations with him was that he had thus far successfully thwarted my desire, acting under instructions of my Government, to see the Chief of State.
To this Cárdenas replied that my note of June 1133a was a very severe one and that it had inspired the offensive terms used by the Foreign Minister in his reply.
I remarked that the text of my note had been approved by my Government while Suñer’s communication went beyond diplomatic usage.
The Ambassador then remarked that perhaps I would be willing to inform Suñer who, he assured me, had no ill feeling against me but regarded me as most simpático that I meant no offense by my remarks in reporting an apparent case of German censorship.
I replied that I would do nothing of the sort, that it took the Minister apparently several weeks to learn that he had been offended and that bringing up that matter was, and to repeat, an obvious afterthought.
The Ambassador then suggested that both the notes be withdrawn.
I replied that if Suñer made such a suggestion to me it would receive consideration but that I wished to make it perfectly clear that my Government would not initiate any such possible solution, one which [Page 919] in any event left the underlying subject of my request for an interview unsettled.
The Ambassador then adopted an almost pleading tone saying that he had been called here by Suñer to post him fully concerning our attitude and that he felt sure and had so told Suñer that no real progress would be made in the matter of improving relations until the present situation was cleared up. He then drew a tragic picture of what would happen if Spain were not helped, the population would go hungry, transportation would be crippled, et cetera. He pointed out that it would also have the effect of throwing Spain into the arms of Germany and that this would be a blow to the British cause.
To the foregoing I observed that in the nearly 12 months that Suñer has been in office he had never mentioned to me Spain’s desire for commercial cooperation with the United States but that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce had initiated repeatedly the subject and that at the moment the Commercial Attaché34 was discussing informally with the Ministry names [sic] what Spain would like to buy in the United States and what we would like to buy here and that because of my sincere friendship for Spain I wished to contribute to some satisfactory arrangement but that Spain must show a conciliatory attitude. He returned to the charge by saying that he felt sure that nothing could be accomplished until my relations with this Government were straightened out, begged me to be conciliatory and drew again his gloomy picture of what would happen in ensuing months unless Spain were assisted.
I remarked to the Ambassador that there were rumors current of impending changes in various Ministries and Departments. He replied immediately that as regards the Foreign Minister that seemed highly improbable since the whole tone and manner of Suñer in talking to him was one of a man who was firmly in the saddle.
The Ambassador’s tone in concluding his visit became even more pleading and he implored me to again weigh the matter of my relations with Suñer and see if I could not suggest some solution; he also asked permission to call again tomorrow morning to learn my considered view adding that he himself would further study the matter.
I told Cárdenas when leaving that I wished to make it clear that it was I who had suffered an offense and that in these circumstances it was hardly incumbent upon me as the aggrieved to take the first step toward clearing up the situation which, as he insisted, was fraught with unfortunate consequences for his own country.
Meanwhile, rumors persist of an impending change in the office of Foreign Minister.