HISTORY REPEATED

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 18, 22 January 1937, Page 6

HISTORY REPEATED

1 INTERVENTION IN SPAIN "History," it has been justly said, "repeats itself with differences, and it is the differences that make all the difference." But the repetitions arc not without their interest, and those who take the trouble to read the history of British non-intervention in the Spanish Civil War of 1822-3 may congratulate themselves or not, according to their taste, on the apparently unchanging character of British foreign policy, says the "Manchester Guardian." j In 1820 a revolution, inspired by the: intellectuals and supported by a section of the army, had forced the autocratic King Ferdinand VII to swear allegiance to the extremely liberal Spanish Constitution of 1812. This revolution may be compared with that of 1931 except that, whereas Alfonso went into exile, Ferdinand remained on the throne. During the following three years there were continual plots to reverse the decision of 1820; armed bands cf absolutists received assistance from reactionary France and by the summer of 1822 civil war had begun. "The-three absolutist Powers, of that time, France, Russia, and Austria, determined to rescue Ferdinand VII. from the tutelage of the constitutionalists. On February 15, 1823, the Cortes were forced to evacuate Madrid, and three months later a French army occupied the capital. What was British policy in face of this flagrant interference with the internal affairs of Spain? As early as January, 1821, Lord Castlereagh had laid down the principle of non-intervention, but now the supposedly more liberal Canning was Prime Minister. M. Halevy states in his "History of the English People":— "The documents published by the Government were badly received by the Liberals: for they revealed the fact that in September Canning had instructed Wellington to state 'frankly and peremptorily' that, 'come what may,' England would not participate in any scheme of intervention. To make such a declaration was to assure France from the very outset that England would maintain an attitude of systematic neutrality, of peace at any price, 'come what may.'" We did not in> rvene, and Spain was robbed of democratic rule for fifty years.