852.00/2957: Telegram
The Ambassador in Spain (Bowers), Then in France, to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:50 p.m.]
89. Your No. B–14, September 1, 6 p.m.; and B–15, September 1, 7 p.m. Following telegram has been sent to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Madrid, on August 29.
“To His Excellency Mr. Augusto Barcia, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Madrid. Mr. Minister: In my quality of Dean of the Diplomatic Corps I have the honor to inform you Your Excellency that the Chiefs of Mission accredited in Spain who sign this note are addressing themselves to the Government of the Spanish Republic through Your Excellency asking the Government to receive the note amiably and to give a reply with the most brief delay possible. I take advantage of this new occasion to reiterate particularly to Your Excellency the sentiments of my highest consideration. D. Garcia Mansilla, Argentine Ambassador.
The Chiefs of the Diplomatic Missions who have met several times on the initiative of their dean His Excellency the Argentine Ambassador have exchanged personal views which bear witness to the profound grief which they feel for the sufferings of the civil population of Spain during the course of the present events. These sufferings consist notably in the imprisonment of hostages or other non-combatant prisoners, in the danger to public health caused by the lack of medicaments, water and light, and in the loss of human life caused by the bombardment of towns without defense. With a view to diminish as far as lies in their power these dangers the Diplomatic Corps addresses itself to the Government of the Spanish Republic with an offer to intercede with both parties with a view to securing reciprocal measures and pledges which would tend quite apart from any political or military intervention to protect the civil population from the hardships enumerated above and from such others as it might seem possible to avoid. The Chiefs of Mission point out finally how desirable it would be that measures should be taken to preserve the monuments and works of art which reflect the grandeur and the glories of the past. This intercession which is recommended by the entire Diplomatic Corps would be made by the means most appropriate in each case, notably by the despatch of commissions ad hoc, by the intermediary of military, naval and air bodies and by an appeal to the Red Cross. Consequently the undersigned have the honor to address themselves to the Government of the Spanish Republic to the ends indicated above and invite those of their colleagues who did not assist at these meetings to associate themselves with them in this step. Argentine Ambassador, French Ambassador, Belgian Ambassador, Italian Ambassador, British Ambassador, Norwegian Minister, Netherlands Minister, Czechoslovakian Minister, Chargé d’Affaires of Finland, Chargé d’Affaires of Sweden.”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs replied as follows to the Argentine Ambassador on August 30: [Page 522]
“I acknowledge the receipt of the collective telegram which in your own name and that of your honorable colleagues who signed it Your Excellency has been good enough to send me and returning your kind salutation I have the honor to inform you that I am informing the Government of the Republic of its contents in order that they may examine its terms and adopt a decision in regard to the same which I will hasten to transmit to you as soon as adopted. Barcia.”
You will observe there is no change in procedure from that outlined in my telegram No. 79 of August 29, 3 p.m. Am convinced of wisdom in not joining in proposal of intercession regarding conduct of war for reasons previously reported. Should the Government acquiesce in the proposal and invite cooperation of corps diplomatique we can now do so without subjecting ourselves to the criticism of interfering in the internal affairs of Spain from the legal Government.