811.612 Grapes–Spain/172: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Spain (Crosby)

35. Your telegram 39, May 20, 5 p.m. Should the Foreign Office make any further effort to re-open the grape case, you should state that you are without authority to discuss it and should absolutely decline to do so. That is an administrative matter and not a question of tariff; moreover, information respecting the American position on the embargo is not available in Madrid. Please likewise endeavor to avoid receiving any more communications on the subject, explaining that inasmuch as the reply would have to be made in Washington, it would be more expeditious to have the Spanish Embassy there make the communication direct to the Department.

For your confidential information only: Since the receipt of your telegram the Spanish Ambassador has urgently requested that representatives of his Embassy be given another hearing on grapes with the appropriate officials of the Department of Agriculture. Although we are aware of no developments which would justify a reconsideration of the present position, we are nevertheless arranging for a further meeting.22

Stimson
  1. See infra.