711.52/199: Telegram
The Ambassador in Spain (Weddell) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 1—8:05 a.m.]
868. Department’s 525, September 27, 9 p.m.40 My 866, September 28, 4 p.m. On his invitation I called on the Foreign Minister this morning. His attitude throughout the visit of nearly an hour was cordial and I endeavored to reciprocate.
After exchanging the usual civilities I told Suñer that I had learned authoritatively for the first time and from Cárdenas of his being offended by remarks made by me in the course of my interview of April 19 (reported in my 337, April 19, 6 p.m.) concerning Spain’s sovereignty and that this offense could only have been provoked through misunderstanding as I certainly had no such intention. After much talk back and forth it was the joint sentiment that the matter be treated as liquidated. The Minister made no reference to the withdrawal of the two notes and I, having in mind Cárdenas’ remarks, said nothing on this point.
I then told them [apparent omission] on the general subject of economic cooperation between our two countries and of augmenting this. The Minister observed that he wished to see these improved and augmented. I then referred to Spain’s need of American products and of our desires to purchase certain Spanish products mentioning cork, zinc, mercury, possibly olive oil, et cetera.
The Minister said that Spain’s needs fell into two categories:
First, those of a pressing nature and second, those concerning which discussions might be conducted. He said that gasoline which was [Page 925] in the first category was not alone a need but a vital political matter, that delays in receiving this commodity had provoked disappointment and bad feeling not alone in the Government but among the people and that if Spain’s nonbelligerency meant anything to the British cause Spain must not be “strangled” in respect to motor fuel. Continuing, he said that Spain’s needs had been fixed by an agreement with Great Britain and the United States and he could not understand why deliveries were not made. To this I countered by remarking that I knew of no “agreement” on this subject to which the United States was a party; that over a long period we had allowed gasoline to be exported freely; that subsequently regulations had of necessity been imposed; and that as a matter of fact there was a great shortage of this fluid on the Eastern seaboard of the United States. Furthermore, I said, it seemed extraordinary to me that I should only have learned of Spain’s gasoline needs through informal and indirect sources, never from the Ministry, his own, authoritatively concerning the needs of the country.
Following this I spoke at some length of our commercial relations, pointing out that while the Sub-secretary of Industry and Commerce had frequently discussed these with the Counselor40a and the Commercial Attaché,40b nothing had come from the Foreign Ministry and that what my Government desired to learn was whether Spain desired to cooperate in improving relations.
The Minister interrupted me here to say that these conversations on the part of the representative of the Ministry of Commerce had been “indiscreet” and unwarranted and that discussions of this kind might lead to confusion. He seemed to have no answer to my observation about his own failure to initiate economic discussions with me, save to leave the impression that the abnormal situation existing between the Embassy and his Ministry had been responsible. (The foregoing argument, however, does not hold water, for Suñer had been Foreign Minister for a full 6 months before the “sovereignty” incident occurred. It is, therefore, obvious to me that it is only increasing economic pressure that has brought about the present attempt through the instrumentality of Cárdenas to normalize relations.)
The Minister then referred to my desire to see the Chief of State and said that this would be arranged within a few days. He said further that with regard to gasoline which was a matter of such pressing and vital importance for Spain he would send me a memorandum thereon, setting forth the Spanish viewpoint concerning delays in deliveries.
I took occasion here to point out that if the two Governments arrived at any arrangement relative to economic matters, an increase in Embassy [Page 926] and consular personnel would become necessary and that I would, therefore, request him to instruct the proper functionary of his Ministry with a view for having such increases ratified, at the same time pointing out that our Embassy staff was small in comparison with that of Germany, Great Britain and other European countries while the number of our Consulates showed a sharp decline from former years.
On leaving I referred to my visit to the Ministry, accompanying Colonel Donovan, and asked if he cared to make any comment on Spain’s present policy in the world conflict. To this he replied textually, “There has been no change in our policy.”