881.00/2014
The Chargé at Tangier ( Childs ) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 28.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to my despatch No. 164 of April 14, 19419 reporting the appointment of Lt.-Col. Don Luis Carvajal Arrieta as Interventor Regional de la Region de Tanger (District Commissioner of the Tangier Region).
Under date of April 15, 1941 I received from Colonel Carvajal an announcement of his appointment, in an unsigned third person communication, a copy and translation of which are enclosed.10 Similar communications were addressed to my consular colleagues. My Netherlands, Belgian and British colleagues took umbrage at the fact that they were addressed as Consuls, and replied to the District Commissioner in third person notes in which the Netherlands and Belgian Consuls General described themselves as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in charge of the Consulate General, while the British Consul General described himself as Counselor of Embassy and His Britannic Majesty’s Consul General in charge of the Consulate General. In view of our special relations, I made no acknowledgment of the communication.
In a further communication, dated April 25, 1941, I received an invitation from Colonel Carvajal, along with my consular colleagues, addressed to me as “Excmo. Sr. Ministro de los Estados Unidos” (His Excellency, the American Minister) inviting me to attend the inauguration of the Municipal Library on April 27.
I took advantage of this last mentioned invitation to call on Colonel Carvajal on April 29, along with Mr. Shillock, Second Secretary of the Legation, to thank the District Commissioner personally and unofficially for his invitation. I stated to Colonel Carvajal, through Mr. Shillock who speaks fluent Spanish, that I had received his kind invitation too late in order to be present, but that even had I received it in [Page 555] time, I would not have been able to take advantage of his kindness. I stated that, as Colonel Carvajal was doubtless aware, the United States had never recognized the Tangier Zone and that, for that reason, Mr. Blake, as Minister, had never had formal and official relations with the International officials of the Zone. That had not prevented, I observed, the maintenance by Mr. Blake of very pleasant unofficial relations with those officials.
I continued by stating that I could not, for similar reasons, have official relations with the District Commissioner, but that I saw no reason why we might not enjoy pleasant unofficial relations. Colonel Carvajal assured me very cordially that he was of the same opinion, and stated that I could count on his very favorable disposition.
Respectfully yours,