740.00116 E.W./9–444: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Spain (Hayes)
2451. Dept’s A–176, April 7, 1944.23 Washington and New York papers today give prominent display to de Cardenas’24 denial that Spain has become haven for Allies’ enemies. Although Ambassador did not specifically identify source of charge, his statement is regarded [Page 1417] by newspapers as reply to last week’s Moscow broadcast urging Spanish people to oust Franco Government and accusing Spain of harboring Axis fugitives. News stories also suggest that Ambassador’s language was broad enough to cover an advance denial of asylum for Hitler and other leading Nazis who may try to flee when Germany falls.
Text of Ambassador’s statement follows:
“Some days ago the American press carried the story that an appeal had been made to Spanish people exhorting them to oust regime of Generalissimo Franco25 and making several charges against his Government.
“The Spanish Embassy, speaking in the name of the Spanish Government, wants to state that none of those accusations is true.
“Spain has not been turned into a haven for French Fascists, only a very small number of German custom officers, unable to reach Germany, have arrived in Spain, and they have been interned at once in concentration camp of Miranda de Ebro.
“No one has ever contemplated to provide a hiding place in Spain for enemies of Allied countries.
“The six German ships which arrived at Pasajes were immediately interned.
“The government of Spain wishes to stress once more the fact that the Spanish regime has nothing in common with National Socialism, which is condemned by the Church, while Spain’s own regime is essentially based on Christian principles.”