Show Mer Merry Go ry-Go-Rau ry nd By DREW PEARSON and ROBERT S. S ALLEN WASHINGTON WASHINGTON-An An amazing story has just leaked out telling how state department career men blocked a minute last-minute move to lift the embargo embargo embargo em em- bargo on arms to Spain a move which was as under under under un un- un- un der consideration by the president The background of the story is a growing conviction on the part of the president Secretary Secretary Secretary Sec Sec- Hull and nd several powerful congressional li V leaders including Senator I ittman Pittman ch chairman irman of the foreign relations committee and Senator Borah that the embargo on arms to Spain was one of the most tragic mistakes of American foreign policy V Its effect has V been to deny war weapons to the Spanish government while Franc Frances France's s 's fascists have been equipped with the most modern tanks airplanes and artillery that Germany and Italy could offer Of Of- late the Spanish army has ha been fighting literally with its bare fists while Spanish gold res reserves remain in New York banks ample to purchase arms were it not for forthe forthe forthe the embargo Roosevelt and Hull both have deplored the situation privately and felt that the United States was merely playing into the hands of Hitler and Mussolini But until recently they did nothing Save Spain Then just before he went to Warm Springs two weeks ago the president had a talk with Breckinridge Long form former r assistant secretary of state who as s ambassador to Italy was thoroughly thoroughly thoroughly thor thor- familiar with fascist aims Long pointed out that there were provisions in iri the neutrality act permitting R Roosevelt to lift the Spanish embargo and urged that he do so Roosevelt suggested that Ambassador Long see Hull and called the secretary of state personally to ar arrange arrange arrange ar- ar range the appointment V The interview with Hull took place next morning But when Long arrived at the state department he was was was' confronted with a letter which Hull had written to Raymond Leslie Buell of the Foreign Policy association outlining reasons reasons reasons rea rea- sons why he could not lift the embargo The letter had haa been released to the press by Hull on the same afternoon that he had re received received re- re the presidents president's telephone call making an appointment regarding the Spanish embargo Naturally Ambassador Long asked for an ex ex- ex- ex Oh COh that was just a letter that Hackworth gave me to sign replied the secretary of state inferring that he had not paid much attention to it Green H. H Hackworth is the legal adviser of the state tate department V Pro Franco V Ambassador Long then pointed out that the United States was playing into the hands hands' of European fascists that after the loyalists were defeated Germany planned to move into Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Czecho Czecho- slovakia that it was not too late even now to save the Spanish government if the United States lifted the embargo Secretary Hull however referred the matter matter matter mat mat- ter back to his career advisers and Ambassador dor Long next had a lengthy discussion with Jimmy Dunn political relations adviser to Mr Hull Pierrepont Moffat chief of the European division and Judge Walton Moore counselor of the state department Jimmy Dunn h has hs s been one of the most ardent state department Opponents of the Spanish government government gov gov- and his wife does not hesitate te at social social social so so- cial gatherings to express her hope that Franco will win r With this group therefore Ambassador Long got nowhere So finally he came back to Hull who suggested that he be given s some me o overwhelming overwhelming over over- over over- r- r whelming proof that the situation in Spain had changed since Roosevelt declared its emba embargo If the proof were ing Hull indi indicated the embargo might be raised Spanish Note A few days later the Spanish ambassador acting on Longs Long's suggestion personally delivered deliver d to Mr Hull a formal note listing in great detail with names of ships and dates of arrival the munitions received by Franco from Germany and Italy It was a most impressive mass of statistics statistics statistics statis statis- tics and ail clearly showed that since the time the American embargo was clamped down upon Franco more than a m mon v vassal a of a Hitler and ci- ci cid il ii d dc duce c o V Day after the delivery of the note Ambassador Ambassador Ambassador Ambas Ambas- Long went back to see Hull but the secretary secretary sec see of state had not even seen it His career career career ca ca reer boys had taken the note to be translated and arid kept it Once again Long told Hull that it was was not too late to save Spain that the Spanish government government government govern govern- ment had ample funds to buy arms that it would buy from private dealers and arrange for delivery I Meanwhile also several prominent senators including Borah Nye and Clark the chief authors authors authors au au- au- au thors of the neutrality act and Thomas and King of Utah had given private pledges that they would support the administration if it lifted the arms embargo But Hull turned the plea down He told Breckinridge Long that it was was too late This brought the drama up to the presidents president's presidents president's presidents president's dents dent's return from Warm Springs Since then the question has been taken over Hulls Hull's head and the promise has been given that the entire Spanish question would be threshed out in cabinet cabinet cab cab- inet met meeting V Copyright 1938 for The Telegram |