811.20 Defense (M) Spain/1312: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Spain (Hayes)
1218. I appreciate the sincerity and force of your comments in your 1472 of April 29, 2 p.m.,24 and I in no way wish to detract from the results you have obtained as a result of these very trying negotiations with the Spanish. The American public well knows that we have been holding out for total and permanent embargo. Because of our insistent position we have whittled down the Spanish in spite of an absence of wholehearted British support. Had we had full British support I am convinced we could have obtained our objective. Much of the American public may well feel the same way. While certain elements of our press are more outspoken than others Spain is not a popular subject with any of them. Knowing what our position has been the public and the press will consider any outcome less than a complete meeting of our demands to be a compromise. A compromise with Spain will not be popular. The fact that the compromise may be favorable to us will not allay all criticism. Without detracting from what you have accomplished I feel I must let our people know that it was at British insistence that we accepted a settlement on a basis less than the one we sought.
[Page 409]In view of what you report in your 1474, April 29, 4 p.m.,25 I propose to release our statement at 8 p.m. tonight for the morning papers of Tuesday.26 We will, in addition to the statement give the press full background information which will I am sure bring out clearly the successful elements underlying the agreement which you bring out in your 1472.
Sent to Madrid. Repeated to London.