701.6234/52: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Paraguay ( Frost )
125. Your 141, March 23, 4 p.m. You are instructed to inform Dr. Argaña and the Spanish Minister orally that the Legal Attaché and the Assistant Naval Attaché have been reprimanded for acting improperly and without authorization. You should express the hope to Dr. Argaña that he will attempt to persuade the Spanish Government to consider the matter closed. You should also express the same hope to your Spanish colleague. Please report immediately if, to your knowledge, the Spanish Government has communicated this incident to Berlin.
Appropriate reprimands should without delay be made in writing to both of the Attachés concerned, stressing the fact that they acted improperly and without authorization.
The text of the reprimands together with a full and formal report of the incident should be submitted to the Department by telegram.22 Upon receipt of this information, the Department will be in a better position to reply to any representations that may be made by the Spanish Government.
The Attachés concerned should submit to you for transmission by air mail separate signed reports, giving full details of their actions.
The United States Government has consistently observed the inviolability of the seal of the neutral protecting power attached to the diplomatic and consular premises or properties of nations with which it is at war. The violation of such seals is in no way countenanced by this Government.
- These documents were transmitted to the Department by the Ambassador in Paraguay in his despatch No. 923, April 3, 1943, not printed.↩