852.79662/11–344
The American Ambassador in Spain (Hayes) to the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs (Lequérica)86
My Dear Mr. Minister and Friend: Upon returning to the Embassy from our meeting today, in the course of which we discussed the German air service to Barcelona and this Embassy’s Note of October 30, I was shocked by the receipt of reports of the following developments:
- 1.
- On October 31 there arrived at Barcelona a Junkers–88 plane which had been introduced into the above-mentioned German air service. As Your Excellency is undoubtedly aware, this type of plane is a military plane and has never been built for commercial use. The non-commercial nature of this particular plane in the service between Germany and Spain is emphasized by the fact that, aside from its crew, the only person carried by the plane was a German Government functionary.
- 2.
- Instead of interning this plane at Barcelona, the Spanish authorities permitted it to proceed on November 1 to Reus, which has an airport that, according to the Embassy’s understanding, is closed by the Spanish Government to commercial traffic. It would appear, therefore, that the authorities, having not only failed to intern this plane, extended exceptional facilities to it.
- 3.
- Furthermore, the German plane that left Barcelona on October 30 for Germany carried not only the strategically valuable cargo mentioned in my Note of that date, but also a shipment of tin, which, it need hardly be stated, is a war material of the highest importance. These exportations were made in flagrant violation of the undertaking given by Your Excellency of which my Government has taken note.
The above-outlined incidents all demonstrate that the assurances given by the Spanish Government regarding the control of German air service have not been implemented. At the same time, it is evident that the purpose of the Germans has been to use this service directly to facilitate their war effort, and that they have even dropped all pretense of camouflaging this fact. Your Excellency can not but be aware that in doing so they have openly placed Spain in the position of being a base for a service inimicable to the United States.
Furthermore, information has come to my attention indicating that the situation created by this service, serious as it has already become, will give rise to even greater complications, the avoidance [Page 453] of which can be achieved by the immediate prohibition of the entry and departure of German planes in Spanish territory.
As my Government will speedily become aware of the incidents which have taken place, I shall greatly appreciate Your Excellency’s early advice regarding the Spanish Government’s action, including the internment of the Junkers–88 plane, in order that my Government may be appropriately informed without delay.
With the highest personal regards, I am,
Faithfully yours,
- Copy transmitted to the Department in despatch 3353, November 3, from Madrid; received November 13.↩