An Article Reprinted From the "New York Times" of December 18, 1925 DE RIVERA ASKS US FOR FAIR TREATMENT BY PRIMO DE RIVERA, PREMIER AND FORMER DICTATOR OF SPAIN MADRID, Dec. 17.-One of the greatest satisfactions of the Government of the Directorate has been the daily proof of the good will of the people of the United States toward Spain, manifested not only through its benevolent expressions of Ambassador Moore, who leaves behind him such pleasing reminiscences among Spaniards, but also by the presence of the American sailors at Cartagena and Cadiz, where there, in union with ours, they rendered tribute to those heroes who a little over a quarter of a century ago, struggled so nobly and honorably in the battles of Cavite in the Philippines and in Santiago in Cuba. We responded to this attitude by according preferential commercial treatment to imports from the United States, and especially by favorable treatment of the tourists whose numbers we saw with pleasureincreasing daily. But a certain incident-undoubtedly the off-spring of ill interpretation-has caused some distrust to grow in the minds of Spanish producers concerning the truth of these affections they held in such high esteem. With regard to the dry law, which causes such great damage to wine-producing countries such as Spain, we have nothing to observe in view of the fact that the question concerns a measure of a general character which the United States by virtue of its sovereignty saw fit to pass, but there followed the dry law certain hindrances regarding the importation of Almeria grapes, which had a preferential market in the United States. These obstructions were founded upon the presence of the Mediterranean fly and the possibility that the grapes might be infested thereby. Within the intervention of experts from the United States and absorbing care on the part of the Almeria producers it [has] been proved that the vineyards in the province of Almeria-where all kinds of measures had been taken both in the cultivation and production and in the packing and transportation in order that the grapes originating there might be presented in the world-are absolutely free from that fly. We have achieved nothing in favor of our products, on the contrary the prohibition has been extended on the same pretext to the Spanish orange, which had no great market in the United States, but which was indicated in this manner as being infected without justification, and will produce a motive of alarm in other markets which have a great consumption of this fruit, which nowhere is so carefully cultivated and of such exquisite quality. POINTS TO BALANCE OF TRADE Without doubt the fruit producers of California are bringing pressure to bear on the American Government with a view to preventing foreign competition, which might well be understood were the commercial balance of exchange of products, and consequently of money, in favor of Spain. Unhappily for us this is not so, and for every million dollars of goods exported to the United States we receive thence more than $10,000,000. We pay for it with good dollars, a fact which with the present high rate of exchange means considerable sacrifices for Spain. Everyone knows Spain imports from the United States cotton, petroleum products, automobiles and machinery, and if of the first named it may be said that we import it through peremptory necessity for our manufactories of cotton cloths, petroleum products, automobiles and various kinds of machinery are being constantly offered to us under competitive conditions by other countries, the importation of the products of which, if given preference, would diminish by many millions of dollars the commerce of the United States with Spain. This admonition cannot constitute a menace for we well know that by comparison of the volume of the exportations of the United States with its commerce with Spain it means relatively little; this is an appeal for justice to the United States not to forget the favorable treatment she owes to our products in compensation for the many of her products we consume. Moreover the United States must always reserve for Spain an intimate spiritual relationship. Spain is the mother of all SpanishAmerica; there our blood, our venturesome frank character, our culture and our tradition are sown. The United States and the new American people, inspired by a race other than Spanish, have predominated the American continent and are the guide and example of those peoples, but the United States, neither in America nor the Philippines, can ever do without the seed which Spain left in those lands. Only united with Spain in the diffusion of culture and in a reciprocity of interests can America establish her true racial type and achieve reciprocity sentiments which will give still greater strength and influence to the American race. Besides Spain, more or less in an effective way holds the preponderant place in the straits connecting the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, which gives her an efficacious value in world affairs that the United States should always seek to have on her side in case of an eventual attempt to cut the communications between those two seas. The Foundation in Madrid protected by the Rockefellers, the participation of Spain in the sesquicentennial exposition at Philadelphia and that of the United States in the Seville Fair, the safety of travel in Spain on the highways, which is becoming better daily and the welcome which the American tourist receives should persuade the United States to which $500,000 in its commercial balance is insignificant, not to rupture any interchange of products which today exists between the both countries, but on the contrary to stimulate reciprocal commerce more and more each day. We well know that the people of the United States, who are a spiritual people, follow with the greatest interest the political evolution of Spain, which is trying to free her people of the disturbances and confusions toward which they were being borne by a system of wornout politics carried on by professional parties, unreinforced by elements taken from the great educational production or labor centres. The people of the United States also follow with interest the noble and firm determination with which Spain is attempting to fulfill in Africa her civilizing mission; and esteem the value, tradition and history of a people of such great nobility as ours. Therefore it should not be difficult to cultivate between both nations the relations which until now have been so well directed and which only this small cloud of opposition to the admittance of our fruits has been able slightly to cool. It is convenient for Spain in these days to be visited by the greatest possible number of foreigners in order that they appreciate the tranquility and order in which the country lives, as well as the prosperity of the industries, the progress and the work. To facilitate this the Government is preparing tourist itineraries. Travelers will find good hotels, guides, facilities for hiring automobiles and magnificent highways for travel by motor. Thus every foreigner who visits us returns to his country a witness and propagator of the beauty and good order of Spain, of the love of the people for their King and the respect they bear their Government. 811.612 Oranges/-: Telegram Spain The Ambassador in Spain (Moore) to the Secretary of State MADRID, December 20, 1925-3 p. m. 85. Department's telegram 78. From all I can gather the statement of Primo de Rivera for the New York Times was made after he sent his letter of protest to me and after I explained to him personally that no personal offense was intended, that all matters in relation to embargoes were made by the Federal Horticultural Board under the Department of Agriculture, and that the Department of State, or Congress, or even the President, had no control over the matter. For the Department's information. Personally did not know that there was any embargo on oranges until I received Primo de Rivera's letter. There was published in a couple of Madrid newspapers a few days before I received Primo de Rivera's letter a news item that such an embargo had been placed on Spanish oranges, but my impression then was that these press notices were the work of some interests unfriendly to the United States. All these notices have been sent to the Department in the Embassy's weekly reports recently. My personal opinion is that the Spanish Government did not know of this embargo until these press notices appeared and, as I understand it, the protest was only made after a number of orange growers a few days previously called on the Premier to protest against the embargo. I am positive that if the Spanish Government had known of this embargo 8 months ago, it would certainly have made a protest then, because I have seldom met either an official or a fruit grower that has not protested against the grape proposition. [Paraphrase] I am not able to answer specifically the last paragraph of the Department's telegram No. 75 of December 12, 3 p. m., inasmuch as the Spanish Government has given no direct indication of its intentions except the contents of Primo de Rivera's letter, of which I cabled the text to the Department on December 13th. It is my opinion that if the orange embargo could be lifted and the orange situation restored to its former condition the Spaniards might disregard the grape embargo. The chief Spanish grievance appears to be that although practically no oranges are exported to the United States, the American embargo hurts them in other markets. I explained to them in detail that the Mediterranean fruit fly had been discovered in the grapes and in the oranges as well and that the embargo had been imposed solely for sanitary reasons, and gave them my assurance that these were the sole and only reasons. I likewise gave my assurance to Primo de Rivera that the American Government was willing at all times to assist them in every way not inconsistent with our laws. One thing with which they have been impressed and which is hard to get out of their minds is that the California fruit growers are responsible for all this. I have done everything possible to remove this idea, but for some reason it is impossible to convince them. I do not believe that the Spanish Gov ernment will do anything under any circumstances before the whole question has been thoroughly gone over. When I arrive in Washington about January 10th, I shall explain the whole situation in person. I feel sure that the Spanish Government will take no definite action in the meantime and it is my opinion that the matter can be ironed out. MOORE 811.612 Oranges/9 Spain The Secretary of State to the Spanish Ambassador (Riaño) WASHINGTON, February 10, 1926. EXCELLENCY: I have the honor to refer to your Note of December 12, 1925, and the Department's reply of December 30, 1925,15 regarding the embargo imposed upon the importation of Spanish oranges into this country. I have the honor to inform you that following consultation with the Department of Agriculture, I am now in receipt of a letter from the Secretary of Agriculture, dated January 29, 1926, explaining the action of the Federal Horticultural Board in refusing to issue further permits for the entry of Spanish oranges into this country. This letter reads in substance as follows: "From reports transmitted to me by your Department, it is evident that there is a wide misunderstanding in Spain with respect to the restrictions enforced on account of risk from the Mediterranean fruit fly on the entry of Spanish oranges. These reports indicate that the idea obtains that action has recently been taken against Spain embargoing this fruit. The misconception which is the basis for this point of view is explained in the following statement summarizing the action of this Department restricting the entry of oranges and other fruits from foreign countries. With the promulgation in 1923 of what is known as the fruit and vegetable quarantine (Quarantine No. 56) on account of fruit flies and other fruit pests, all foreign fruits other than as to a restricted list were forbidden entry into the United States, with minor exceptions as to certain countries. The list of fruits open to entry from all countries, and the exceptions as to certain countries with respect to other fruits, are indicated in Regulation 2 under the quarantine. As to citrus fruit, this action excluded all such fruit other than lemons and sour limes from all Mediterranean countries and South Africa, as well as from certain Central and South American countries, and, in general, trans-Pacific countries, in all of which dangerous fruit fly enemies were known to exist. This action was in line with restrictions long enforced against our own Territory of Hawaii on account of the establishment there of the Mediterranean fruit fly, except that the restrictions on Hawaiian fruit are even more drastic than those 16 Latter not printed. |