Mediation in Spain

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21966, 15 December 1936, Page 10

Mediation in Spain

The British and French proposals for mediation in the Spanish civil war are made to appear somewhat foolish by the discussions on the Spanish situation at the meeting of the Council of the League of Nations. Senor del Vayo’s statement that an international war is raging in Spain is virtually confirmed by the admission of the British and French delegates that the entry of foreign troops into Spain has reached “ alarming proportions.” Not, of course, that such confirmation is necessary. It was known from the first that the whole of the rebel air force was manned by German and Italian pilots; the report that 5000 Germans landed in Cadiz last month has been officially confirmed by the British Government; there is a strong suspicion that Majorca is manned by Italian troops; and the number of Englishmen killed during the battle for Madrid is sufficient evidence that large numbers of English recruits are in the service of the Spanish Government. Whether these recruits are of much assistance is doubtful, since most of them will have had no military training. As far as can be gathered, the Government’s need is not men but munitions. On the other hand, the Germans and Italians in the service of General Franco must be of the greatest assistance to him, both because he is short of men and because practically all adult Germans and Italians have been through a course of military training. The enlistment of foreigners in the Spanish armies is not, strangely enough, contrary to the non-intervention agreement; nor is it contrary to the rules of international law, provided enlistment does not receive official encouragement. It seems clear that both the British and the French Governments have done their best, short of legal prohibition, to prevent their nationals from serving in Spain. It seems equally clear that most of the many thousands of trained German and Italian troops serving under General Franco were at any rate encouraged to enlist by their governments. It is impossible to believe, for instance, that a force of 5000 Germans could be organised and transported to Spain without the connivance of the German Government. In a situation such as this proposals for mediation are futile; and it is an ominous indication of the present state of international morality that the very governments which are deliberately feeding the Spanish conflagration have given their blessing to the proposals. The best service the British and French Governments can render to the Spanish people is to make the non-inter-vention agreement more effective by extending it to cover enlistment. The British Government might give the lead by offering to enforce the Foreign Enlistment Act on condition that the other parties to the pact immediately pass and enforce similar legislation.