711.52/346: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Spain (Hayes)

386. Your 453, February 9, 12 p.m. We have been unaware (repeat unaware) of any pressure from London to agree upon a compromise. On the contrary the British Embassy here states that instructions have been given your British colleague by his Government to support the demand for full embargo of wolfram.

You are authorized to tell Count Jordana and your British colleague that this Government has no intention of resuming tanker loadings until a complete and permanent wolfram embargo will have been established. On the questions of lesser importance, it is the Department’s understanding that the Foreign Minister has already agreed in principle to the total withdrawal of Spanish legion, Spanish air squadron, and Spanish forces under any name or description from Russia or Germany, and to the suppression of German Consulate at Tangier and expulsion of German agents from Spanish zone of Morocco and a sharp reduction of number of German agents in the Peninsula. There appears to be every likelihood that our desires respecting Italian merchant ships will be acceded to on a satisfactory [Page 337] basis and that we may hope for the release of worships as well, though if necessary we are willing to accept some compromise with regard to the latter.

Stettinius