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The Ambassador in Spain (Bowers), Then in France, to the Secretary of State
[Received November 12.]
Sir: Apropos of Mr. Chamberlain’s announcement that there has been a “settlement” in Spain because 10,000 Italians have been withdrawn and that the Anglo-Italian agreement should immediately go [Page 252] into effect, I have the honor to report that the Spanish Government has just made public through its Embassy in London its own figures on Italian participation in the war of fascist invasion against Spain. It says:
“It is estimated that there are about 90,000 Italians in the service of the insurgents, 60,000 of whom are infantry, artillery and tank corps.
“Pilots number from 900 to 1,000 and aviation mechanics 2,000.
“There are between 3,000 and 4,000 radio telegraphists, assistants and aviation operators, 10,000 automobilists, 5,000 engineers, 5,000 workers on war services, and 2,000 police and agents.
“There are still eight Italian Generals in Spain.
“Recent Italian arrivals in Spain were 325 aviators, 3,374 soldiers and 600 technicians.
“The total of Italian planes noted in flight on the Ebro front during the first fortnight of September was 1,301.”
It is my firm conviction, based on conversations with war correspondents, that there must be as many as 60,000 of the Italians in the infantry, artillery and tank corps. It is notoriously true that the major part of the aviation is Italian, and some German.
All the planes, tanks, etc., German and Italian.
There appears to be no doubt that more Italian soldiers have entered Spain during the last two months. The English prisoners recently exchanged were confined in a concentration camp entirely in charge of Italians and these are reported to me to have told the prisoners that they had come not over a month before.
These figures and facts are well known to Mr. Chamberlain, which may explain the complaint of a Tory member of the House of Commons in this week’s debate that “the House of Commons has been continuously and grossly misled by Ministers over a period of several years.” That I personally and positively know to be absolutely true—particularly in the case of Spain.
Respectfully yours,