852.00/3145a: Circular telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Spain (Bowers), Then in France30
Department’s circular telegram September 10, 4 p.m., fourth paragraph of my announcement to the press. We do not wish to order our naval vessels to Spanish ports merely to evacuate occasional Americans who may decide from time to time that they wish to leave Spain but rather to do so only when groups sufficiently large to make the journey worthwhile have been assembled. Except in cases of emergency, therefore, the Department wishes to reserve to itself the decision as to whether an American naval vessel shall be ordered in any given instance to proceed to a Spanish port for evacuation purposes. Accordingly, when in the judgment of the officer in charge a [Page 712] group sufficiently large to warrant the sending of a ship to evacuate them has been gathered together at a seaport the officer will telegraph the Department which will make the necessary arrangements with the Navy. In grave emergencies, of course, our officers may get in touch directly with our naval vessels if direct means of communication are available to them, but in every such case the officers’ request should likewise be telegraphed without delay to the Department.
- Sent also to the Embassy at Madrid and to all Consulates in Spain, except Madrid.↩