852.00/2998: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Third Secretary of Embassy in Spain (Wendelin)19
113. Your X–122, September 4, 3 p.m. You are requested to call informally upon the Minister of State and express our appreciation of the inquiries which the Ministry has made into the attack on the USS Kane. In addition, unless you perceive objection, you are requested to take advantage of this call to inform the Minister that certain American newspapers have published rumors that the attempted bombing of the Kane was part of a plot to involve the United States in European difficulties. You should point out to the Minister that your Government is not in a position to silence these rumors until it is in possession of exact information as to the identity of the plane which in fact attacked the Kane and that therefore your Government would very greatly appreciate any information as to the actual identity of the attacking plane which the Minister might be able to obtain by further inquiry. You will add that the Spanish Government will understand that in making this request you are in no way questioning the accuracy of the report already made to you by it. You may inform the Minister that although General Franco states that he has no information as a result of his investigations that any plane belonging to his forces has committed an act of aggression against any destroyer of another nation, we are nevertheless requesting him to make renewed investigation into the matter in view of our anxiety to leave no stone [Page 703] unturned in our effort definitely to determine the identity of the attacking plane.
- A similar telegram of the same date was sent to the Consul at Seville instructing him to call upon General Queipo de Llano in the same matter (852.00/3034).↩