852.48/1465: Telegram
The Ambassador in Spain (Hayes) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 30—8:38 p.m.]
760. I told Foreign Minister today I had received his note of March 25 and had communicated it to my Government. I had considerable misgivings concerning the impression it would create, and before communicating further on the subject I wished more information (my 741, March 27, 9 p.m.34).
I asked whether it meant Spain was going to abandon its policy of declining to return refugees to places of origin or enemy-occupied territory without their consent. He said this had not been determined yet. The purpose of the note was to declare Spain’s policy of doing its utmost to close the border. No decision had been made as to what would be done with refugees who succeeded in crossing. He wanted to discuss possible cooperation on our part in this growing problem. So long as small numbers of refugees had crossed the border Spain had not been disturbed. However they have entered in ever [Page 277] increasing numbers. Reports have reached him that regular organizations exist in France for effecting wholesale immigration of French into Spain. He has heard also that persons connected with our Embassy are actively engaged in the traffic.
I said the latter report was not true. No one connected with the Embassy or working for the United States Government is engaged in this traffic. I pointed out Tunisian campaign so far advanced these French would arrive in North Africa too late to be of any military value. Meanwhile we contemplated military action within France at which time it would be to our interest to have able-bodied Frenchmen there to cooperate with us.
I said it was clear that French, threatened with slavery under their enemies, were trying to escape. It was only natural that they should.
Minister said it was a game several could play. He feared Germans and Italians might enter Spain as refugees, establish themselves in certain ports, and at the appropriate time don uniforms. In this connection he said he wished to state more emphatically than ever before that Spain, including the Caudillo,35 is really resolved to resist any possible Axis aggression.
Minister assured me closing of border does not affect arrangements for evacuating French already in Spain. I asked if this assurance applied to other agencies of the Government and he said it did.
I questioned him further concerning treatment of refugees who managed to cross the border. He said decision concerning them would be made later, that Spain is trying to patrol its side of the border and exerting pressure on the French to patrol their side.
I said we had learned from Barcelona that Seguridad36 has actually returned certain persons to France, and were threatening to return a declared American citizen. I pointed out that if American soldiers succeeded in escaping into Spain and were returned to France we would consider this an unfriendly act and I could not answer for the consequences. He said he understood this perfectly and that Seguridad had been told escaped prisoners should not be interfered with.
With reference to French refugees, I referred again to previous assurances from the Foreign Ministry that refugees would not be returned to Axis or Axis-occupied territory. I said that any reversal of this policy would have a very unhappy effect on the outside and I hoped he would give the latter his very earnest consideration. He said he would.
Meanwhile, I have been informed that orders to return refugees to France have been rescinded in both the Barcelona and Pamplona areas, and that 200 refugees arrived in Pamplona yesterday.
[Page 278]The British Ambassador this morning made representations similar to mine. Jordana told him no refugees would be sent back unless and until we are advised. I shall also endeavor to enlist cooperation of Papal Nuncio and of other American representatives in urging Foreign Office not to return refugees to France.
Repeated to Algiers for Murphy.
- Not printed; it stated that so far there was no indication that the Spanish Government had withdrawn its permission for large numbers of French refugees to leave Spain via Portugal (852.48/1459).↩
- Gen. Francisco Franco, Spanish Chief of State.↩
- General Directorate of Security, under the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, principal agency for maintaining the internal security of the Spanish State.↩