Allen, Jay, New York. To G.S. Messersmith, Washington.
Date
1939-01-08
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press
Abstract
Description
Enclosure: See No. 1118. Enclosing copy of letter from [Marquis Alphonso] Merry del Val to President Roosevelt; letter marked "personal" but handed out in Paris by Franco people to Latin-American correspondents; has known Marquis for years; in old days, Spanish aristocrats charming survivals of past centuries and engaging, but not since taking to murder in defense of their interests; remembers night in Madrid in 1934 when shots from a speeding car were fired into a group of Socialist Youth, killing one girl and wounding several; car belonged to Merry del Val's son and he was identified as driver, but nothing was done; interesting to recall this episode in connection with Merry del Val's letter to President; covered early stages of Spanish war from Gibralter and saw far too much; for publication, proof is necessary; cites Georges Bernano's "Diary of my Times" with his description of the White Terror in Majorca; Marquis claims nobody executed in Rebel Spain without judgment by "properly constituted courts"; ABC of Seville reported execution of generals who failed to support Franco, though they had done nothing to oppose him; Gallup Poll on Spanish issue reveals interesting fact; no longer possible to claim American Catholics are overwhelmingly pro-Franco; Messersmith knows people active in DON'T RAISE THE EMBARGO campaign; [Harry H.] Loughlin nice fellow, and no doubt an ornament to Alfonso's court, but badly informed; remembers his one-man war on the Republic; debated with Father [Joseph F.] Thorning at Foreign Policy dinner in New York; John Gunther, Ray[mond Gram] Swing, John Whittaker, and Lillian Mowrer present; all agreed Father Thorning gave only one reason for maintaining embargo - that Franco had a Christian mother; agitators for maintaining embargo do so for un-neutral ends, to enable Franco to win by continuing to handicap Spanish Republic; would like to see Messersmith and get his advice; asks if he might call the next week for appointment; has finished job on "bullring massacre" at Badajoz in August 1936 which he had covered; Franco partisans dismiss it as simple lie, when in fact it was an understatement.
Keywords
Messersmith, George S. (George Strausser), 1883-1960.