125.199/41: Telegram
The Ambassador in Spain (Bowers), Then in France, to the Secretary of State
[Received October 1—12:45 p.m.]
371. The insurgent representative here telephones Chapman64 instructions from Salamanca that he should write a letter addressed to the Chief of Diplomatic Cabinet65 there requesting permission formally and in writing to reopen the Consulate at Bilbao. This would be a semi-recognition and apparently is in accordance with a new policy. I am informed by Sangroniz’s secretary that demands are being made on Britain that Franco be permitted officially to send his own Consuls into British territory and that Salamanca believes Britain will agree. He said Chilton would lunch with Sangroniz last Monday at San Sebastian and that the authorization would then be carried out. The press reports that Chilton did submit some propositions of a commercial nature but no mention is made of any consular arrangement. Chapman will not send written request addressed according to arrangement. My suggestion is that rather than engage in a possible controversy nothing more be attempted toward opening Bilbao Consulate at this time and that it be left in charge of the custodian.66 It seems not improbable that were we even to discuss the matter Salamanca would make the same demand made of the Britsh that Franco be permitted to send us Consuls to the United States.