TEMPTING SPAIN

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 101, 25 October 1940, Page 7

TEMPTING SPAIN

FUHRER'S EFFORT

DOUBTS OF SUCCESS

COMMENT IN BPJTAIN

(British Official Wireless.) (Received October 25, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, October 24. Yesterday's meeting between Herr Hitler and General Franco, following so closely on that between Herr Hitler and M. Laval, naturally caused almost worldwide speculation. A feature which attracted interest here is that Hitler on this occasion apparently found it necessary to make the long journey to the Pyrenees in the hope that by personal contact with the caudillo he might be able, by blandishments, promises, and even threats, to impel or tempt Spain along the Axis path. It remains to be seen whether the Fuhrer's meeting with General Franco himself will yield results different from Senor Suner's visit to Berlin, when he declined to enter into any political commitment on behalf of the Span-; ish Government. I The hard facts of the situation in! Spain hitherto no doubt influenced General Franco in the wise and cautious policy he adopted, a policy dictated by the real interests of Spain after a long and exhausting civil war. Newspapers discuss the possibility that in essence the Axis Powers' proposals, which it is believed may have been laid before Vichy as well as Madrid, are based on the German idea that if Spain and France will collaborate in a new order in Europe involving necessarily the suzerainty of Germany, peace can be restored speedily and that these countries can participate in the benefits. In London there is reason) to believe that in order to amplify and support these proposals the Germans are about to embark on a scheme of falsification of news compared with which their past efforts would be almost respectable. It is assumed that this will include the presentation of an! England unable to resist the enormous j might of Germany, and that this theme will be presented in innumerable aspects. In a carefully balanced examination of the prospects of this latest German i overture, British commentators are by no means convinced that the Axis proposals will be • adopted as readily as Berlin hopes. The Spaniards have had some experience of the Germans. Despite the propaganda with which Spain is flooded, there is less conviction in Spain that an Axis victory is certain than the propagandists would wish. There are signs of disinclination to readily barter away solid economic gains which the existing policy promises. Those most familiar with. Spain and the Spanish character emphasise that the traditional Spanish sense of honour might well lead them to treat German and Italian proposals with some measure of contempt.