740.00112 European War 1939/402
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Adviser on Political Relations (Dunn)
The Spanish Ambassador45 came in this afternoon by appointment, having just returned from a visit to Spain. He said that he was instructed by his Government to ask whether the United States would support protests the Spanish Government might make to the British Government in the event the British interfered with shipping and trade between the United States and Spain. He said the Spanish Government was particularly interested in the shipments of cotton now going forward from the United States to Spain.
I told the Ambassador that it would not be proper to report to his Government that we would support any protests made by the Spanish [Page 755] Government to the British Government regarding such interference. I said that this Government was, however, extremely interested in maintaining our neutral trade with neutral nations, and that the question of keeping up the shipping, communications, and trade between the United States and Spain was a matter of mutual interest to our two Governments.
Mr. Cárdenas then asked what attitude we had taken toward the British notices of blockade and contraband classification, and what replies we had made, if any, to the British Government’s communications on these two subjects. I told the Ambassador that an oral communication had been given to the British Government with regard to this general subject, and I read to him in that connection the pertinent points in the oral communication given to the representatives of the British Embassy here by Mr. Hickerson on September 28, 1939. I pointed out to the Ambassador that the sense of our oral communication to the British was that we reserved all our rights under international law, that we did not recognize any principle of interference with innocent neutral trade, and that we reserved the right to take up with the British any specific cases of detention or interference with American ships or cargoes which might come to our attention.
I pointed out to the Ambassador that this information was being made available to him, to be held in confidence by his Government. I added that we were very much interested in this general subject, and would be glad to be kept informed of any arrangements the Spanish Government might make with the British Government regarding this question of neutral trade. I said that he could assure his Government that any information they wished to give us would be held entirely confidential by this Government, and that we would be very happy at any time to consult with them for the purpose of advancing the interests of the trade between our respective countries.
The Ambassador expressed his deep appreciation for this information, and said that he would report immediately to his Government in the premises.
- Juan Francisco de Cárdenas.↩