The Issues In Spain

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 22, 21 October 1937, Page 13

The Issues In Spain

Sir, —May I be permitted to congratulate you on your clear and restrained editorial on the issues in Spain in today’s “Dominion”?

In spite of your statement that indi- * vidual opinions on Spain depend on the political sympathies of those voicing them, I believe that the conclusions which you have arrived at would be the conclusions of all fair-minded, people in possession of the facts. I venture to predict that your editorial will be received with surprise by many of your readers, many of whom, taking their opinions from the cable news and articles which have appeared in your columns since the outbreak of civil war in Spain, have formed other opinions. You make mention of partisan propaganda having been active. It has been a regretable fact that your columns have been used for such propaganda and very little of it has been Franco’s propaganda. The conclusions in your editorial could never have been reached by a study of the daily newspapers in New Zealand, because many of the facts mentioned there and hundreds of other facts justifying Franco’s cause have never been given prominence in those papers. The man in the street has not had the opportunity of making an unbiased judgment on Spain. Major Yeats-Brown published au interview with General Franco in the London “Observer” (14/3/37): “What is the most useful thing I can write about your movement when I return to England?” he asked. “The facts,” Franco replied. I have read repeatedly in your columns reports of statements by lecturers and self-styled students of Spanish affairs, that die Church owned one-third of the land in Spain, and was extremely Wealthy. It is unfortunate that you could not have printed the facts—‘namely, that all Church land was confiscated in 1857 by the State, and that for being wealthy she was poor and the clergy existed on inadequate stipends from the State. You give almost daily prominence to the Italian troops in Spain, thus leaving your readers with the impression that but for Italy Franco could never hold his own. Surely equal prominence could be given to the presence of French and Russian “volunteers,” the latter under orders from Moscow —on the Government side. Especially as these troops equal in number —according to official British Parliamentary figures—the Italian troops. Such examples could be given without number, but I do not wish to encroach further on your valuable space. However, they may serve to show why many fair-minded people who depend on your paper—and the other dailies— for their news on Spain have formed the impression that Franco is fighting against a Government supporting freedom and democracy. -Your excellent editorial. should do much to rectify that wrong impression, but, as Franco told Yeats-Brown, the facte will do more good, as people will then be able to reach their own conclusions. —I am, etc., P.J.B. Taihape, October 16.