Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1937, General, Volume I

852.00/6671

The Ambassador in Spain (Bowers), Then in France, to the Secretary of State

St. Jean de Luz, September 7, 1937.
[Received October 11.]

Dear Mr. Secretary: On Monday, the 6th, two Ministers of the Basque Government, the Minister of the Interior, Sr. Monzon, and of Justice, Sr. Leizaola, asked to see me. They brought a personal letter from President Aguirre, who is now at Bayonne, with the request that I transmit to the President a letter to him from the President of the Basques requesting his good offices with Rome in bringing about the fulfillment of the terms of capitulation agreed to and signed by the Italian officers, to whom surrender was made, and the representatives of the Basques.

I told them that it was more than doubtful whether we could, under our policy in the war, comply with the request, but that I would send President Aguirre’s letter⁴⁹ to President Roosevelt and the terms of the capitulation^49a to the Department unofficially. I gave them no encouragement but treated them with the sympathetic consideration I know them to deserve.

By transmitting these papers unofficially nothing need be made a matter of record unless you prefer. And should any acknowledgment be made it can be made through me by word of mouth and not in written form.

I have thought it best to send these papers by pouch rather than by cable because of their length, and the necessity of explaining them in some detail. Since inquiries will be made later, I would suggest that whatever instructions you may wish to give me should be sent by telegraph.

I feel personally that the failure to carry out the one stipulation in the terms of capitulation, involving as it may the deaths of many people, entitles the Basques, who scrupulously refrained from cruelty, to some means of communication with the Italians who made the pledge. I suggested the International Red Cross, but the Ministers replied that it had not been successful in arranging exchanges of prisoners, and I got the impression that the Basques look upon the International Red Cross as pro-Franco and unreliable. I can readily believe this in view of the bitter harangue against the Government to which I listened from the titled wife of the International Red Cross representative in Spain in my house a week ago. But how we can do anything without to some extent involving ourselves I do not know. Whether it would be proper for the Embassy in Rome informally to make inquiries you will know.

President Aguirre evidently realizing the delicacy of the thing requested that, if we can do nothing, we make any suggestions that may occur to us as to how to reach Rome.

Very truly yours,

Claude G. Bowers

It should be observed that the Italians were not responsible for the failure. They permitted the 3,000 to board the ships. It is possible they may not relish the position in which they are placed.

[Enclosure—Translation]

President Aguirre to President Roosevelt

To His Excellency the President of the United States of America: The Basque troops having fought during ten months in order to preserve the liberty of the people and the democratic form of Government, they have been obliged to surrender at Laredo, Santoña and Santander before the means, without contrast, which the enemy possessed. The surrender was made under conditions before the Italian Command of the auxiliary legion of General Franco. The main point of them is respect for the lives of the combatants and politicians handed over, without exceptions, and the non-employment of reprisals on the Basque civilian population, facilitating the departure from Spain of the contingent of the most important prisoners. In view of the unaccomplishment of the clause relative to such departure, and recalling the cruelties which the Franco faction has employed in all the territories conquered, I have a similar fear of the non-fulfillment of the obligation to respect lives. For that reason, I address Your Excellency, begging that you make an appeal to the Italian Government that it consider it proper for the above mentioned legion to see that this exigency of humanity be respected. I recall the great sufferances of the Basque population who have seen entire villages destroyed such as Durango, Guernica and the irreproachable conduct of the Basque Army and Government which, without counter-part, have freed all the political prisoners who for reasons of security and war were in prison. This liberty affected more than 3,000 men. I beseech you, having full confidence in the greatness, sentiments and morale of Your Excellency and the glorious North American Republic.

José Aguirre

49. Infra.
50. Not printed.