Evening star., 1936-07-26
Hull Gets First.Hand Ne,vs
From Madrid Aide BY Phone
Third Secretary Reports
americans Are Safe
in Capital.

The State Department yesterday re-
leased the following verbatim trans
cript of a radio-telephonic conversa-
ton between Secretary Hull and Eric
C. Wendelin. third secretary Of the
American Embassy in Madrid:
Secretary: What is the situation
over there?
wendelin: We have got plenty of
people in the American Embassy. They
are safe. All that we know Of are
safe
Secretary: Go ahead with your de-
scription of conditions.
Wendelin: We have 148 Americans
in the embassy. and 161 people in the
embassy altogether. There are 800
Americans in Madrid. but almost all
the remainder are Filipino or Puerto
Rican nationals. The government Is
holding its own very well, and the
morale of the people in Madrid is
good. There are government troops
to the north Of Madrid. These are
the two most important passes to the
north of Madrid. We have food and
water supply and believe We are able
to remain here rather comfortably for
at least two weeks. The Socialists and
Communists are in control. We under
stand Americans were evacuated on
the Exeter from Barcelona, but have
been unable to get in touch with the
embassy at San Sebastian. Understand
the Oklahoma is at Bilbao. Suggest
it stand in readiness to proceed to San
Sebastian or any other point Mr
Bowers may advise.
Americans Believed Safe.
We have no details as to conditions
in the south of Spain except Valencia,
or anywhere in the north of Spain ex-
cept Barcelona. We do not believe
there will be any immediate effect on
Americans, unless returning fighters
run wild after q decisive victory. We
have taken precautions. The embassy
has made all preparations to hold out
until the situation changes and has
food and other provisions which it
feels will last for at least two weeks.
We have received every possible as
sistance from the government and es-
pecially from police headquarters. I
wish to record the fact that the gov
ernment has done everything in its
power to accede to the requests we
have made of it.
Secretary: Are any Americans at
tempting to leave Madrid for the sea-
coast?
Wendelin: The connection is very
poor and I cannot hear what you
say 1t Is the same with the con-
nection with Lisbon They can hear
me but I cannot hear them.
Secretary: Where Is Schoellkopf?
(Walter H. Schoellkopf-first secre-
tary)
Wendelin: He went on leave to Eng
land the 1st of July and returned to
San Sebastian on the 10Th and to
the best of my knowledge I believe
he Is in San Sebastian with the rest |
of the staff.
No Outlet to Coast.
Secretary: Are any Americans able
to get down to the seacoast from |
Madrid?
Wendelin: No. There Is no con-
nection with the seacoast anywhere. I
No means of leaving Madrid.
The only way would be to evacuate |
by airplane which would be utterly
unfeasible. All railroad communica-
tions are cut. We have also investi-
gated railroad communication to Por-
tugal and found it impossible to send
Americans out by that route. Have
you heard from Mr.. Bowers?
Secretary: Yes, we have. We were
in telephone communication with |
Bowers last night. He is well and |
safe. He is at Fuenterrabia. near San
Sebastian. Please give my best wishes
to the staff and Americans there at |
the Embassy. Have you anything |
else?
Wendelin: The military attache Of
this Embassy Is in close touch with |
the military situation and does not
believe there will be any serious
trouble-only that after decisive de-
feat or victory the troops might return |
to Madrid and run wild. AS this may |
happen at any time, we have taken |
precautions. A battle Is now going |
on about so miles TO the north Of |
Madrid. Practically all Of the native !.