852.00/4947
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Spain (Bowers), Then in France
My Dear Mr. Ambassador: I was very interested to receive your letter of February twenty-third,42 commenting on some aspects of our policy and attitude toward the Spanish conflict, and I wish to express my appreciation for your thought in bringing up these considerations for our information here. I am in entire agreement with you in not being able to understand why our people have not been more sensible of the severe suffering which has been caused to non-combatants, particularly old persons and women and children as a result of the apparently ruthless conduct of the military operations in the civil strife and resulting often from the political action of the civil authorities or emergency committees which have assumed authority. The [Page 489] actual forwarding of food and supplies and medical assistance to the civilian population is, of course, a matter which has always heretofore been dealt with by unofficial committees and bodies and has not come within the sphere of the proper activity of the Government. That refers to so-called relief such as the civilian relief afforded by the Committee for Relief in Belgium and that in France during the last war, and refers to relief as such outside of the scope of the activities of the Red Cross societies which, of course, themselves make every effort to take care of suffering, injuries and sanitary requirements resulting from military activities, extending its help also into the field of relief when funds and opportunity permit Red Cross activities along such lines.
In dealing with the carrying out of our policy of non-intervention and thus declining to issue passports for individuals to proceed to Spain, we have had to refuse passports to the personnel of certain medical units which are being arranged for by an organization called the “American Friends of Spanish Democracy”. In a statement to the press explaining our position on this passport matter,43 we took occasion to call attention to the opportunity for extension of aid to assist in alleviating the suffering in Spain through the American Red Cross, which is operating through the International Red Cross Committee of Geneva. We furthermore pointed out how funds would be gladly accepted by the American Red Cross for that purpose and thus implying that there was no need for American individuals personally to occupy themselves in Spain with this aid and assistance, as there was an existing organization taking care of the impartial distribution of aid to the suffering, both medical and with regard to food and clothing. We have been informed by the American Red Cross headquarters here that there is no demand for doctors and nurses, and, furthermore, that the same amount of money expended for the sending of personnel and equipment for ambulance units from here, if expended through the existing organizations, would probably have a spread of five or six times more than the effect resulting from actual ambulance units sent from here. The Friends Society here appears to have a truly impartial attitude in its desire to alleviate the suffering and is raising a fund now to send clothing and food to refugee children on both sides. Their work will be carried out without the sending of American personnel, but through existing channels. Some of the other activities being carried on for the collection of funds for relief in Spain appear to be based on the theory that humanitarian work should only be carried out for one of the political factions and distinctly not the other.
[Page 490]I note your statement that the hospitals on both sides of the struggle have been in desperate need of necessary medicines and equipment. This statement accords entirely with what the Red Cross people here have told us, that is, that while there is no real need for doctors and nurses, medicines and equipment and supplies are very badly needed. Both the Department and the Bed Cross have lost no opportunity to bring this need to the attention of the public, but, as I say, most of those interested seem to have a particular definition in their minds as to what humanitarian activity consists of.
To summarize, we want all relief operations carried on by Americans to operate under a neutral and impartial organization.
The International Red Cross Committee, with which the American Red Cross is cooperating and which is definitely neutral and impartial, is applying all of the funds placed at its disposal for the relief of the wounded as well as for the relief of the civil population. The International Committee has appealed for funds for this purpose, but no appeals have been made for doctors and nurses. We are keeping continually in touch with the situation through the American Red Cross headquarters here and if at any time a necessity and demand for doctors and nurses, in addition to funds and supplies, arises, we will do all we possibly can to cooperate with the neutral and impartial organizations which now have the matter in hand.
I must say, however, that many of the people who have been pressing us here for permission to send American personnel over with medical units have been motivated by a strong partial feeling either for one group or the other and would presumably align themselves with the forces or authorities of one side. Such action would, of course, be in conflict with our desire not to become involved in the political aspects of the present conflict.
With reference to your interesting report that the Commercial Attaché of the British Embassy is communicating with the insurgent authorities, I do not see how we could escape the charge that we had abandoned our policy of neutrality and non-intervention if we were to deal with the insurgent group, particularly for the purpose of obtaining commercial advantages when we have not so far recognized the insurgent movement and we are still carrying on our normal official relations with the Spanish Government. I am afraid we shall have to depend for our good will upon the recognition by the Spanish authorities that we have pursued a meticulously impartial attitude in this conflict, which, if it had been followed by all the other countries of the world, might have changed the aspect of the situation as exists today.
As far as concerns the visits of our naval vessels to North Coast ports, we in the Department here do not feel that we should override the authority and position of the Navy Department when they inform [Page 491] us that it is distinctly dangerous to our vessels to visit those ports at this time for any other than emergency purposes. I have gone into the pending cases of questionable American nationality and other matters that might engage our Consuls in the coast ports you have referred to in your despatches and I have not been able to convince myself that any emergency situations existed which would warrant asking the Navy to send vessels into those ports against their own attitude that it is dangerous so to do. This may be a matter of opinion as far as concerns the decision taken by any Navy, but certainly in the face of their hesitancy to visit those ports I do not feel justified in pressing our own Navy in the circumstances to go in.
With regard to the visit of your secretary to points in Spain near the border, I would be entirely agreeable to his making a visit if it appeared that the emergency situation so justified his entering Spain, but as far as I have been informed, the cases which might be investigated in that way are not at present in territory where there is any military activity and we do not seem to have any information indicating that those persons are in dire straits or even desire to have arrangements made for them to leave the territory.
I am indeed very glad to hear from you and will be grateful at all times for any suggestions in connection with the carrying out of our policy which you may wish to send me.
With my kindest personal regards,
Very sincerely yours,