POSITION STRENGTHENED

Evening Star, Issue 23882, 12 May 1941, Page 7

POSITION STRENGTHENED

GENERAL FRANCO S POLICY NEW CIVIL GOVERNORS IN SPAIN MADRID, May 10. General Franco, has strengthened his personal position throughout the country by appointing new civil governors at Madrid, Cadiz, and other important places, who are staunch sup-' porters. He has also cancelled the recent decrees freeing the Falangist Press from the censorship. The whole of the Spanish Press is now under the control of the Ministry of the Interior. KEY POSITION STALIN'S NEW MOVE REAL HEAD OF SOVIET UNION LONDON, May 10. Nobody inside or outside the Soviet foresaw M. Stalin’s assumption of the Premiership, yet, retrospectively, it appears that the move is consistent with M. Stalin’s methods, says the Stockholm correspondent of ‘ The Times.’ By luck or uncanny instinct* M. Stalin directly after the revolution acquired and held what for 20 years has proved the most important key position in Russia—the SccretaryGsneralship of the Communist Party, which put his rivals iu M. Stalin’s hands, while he himself remained practically unassailable. The army was the party’s sole potential rival, but the Communist Party’s grip on it was also firm in peacetime. In wartime, however, the army must necessarily possess greater freedom of action, and is less embarrassed by the party’s control, and is also formally responsible directly to the Government rather than to the party. It is conceivable, under the stress of war, that the head of the Government might short-circuit the party’s secretary and act too directly and too independently with the army, thus undermining the party secretary’s authority and possibly producing rivals. The Premiership during a major war, therefore, possesses greater directive power than party leadership, so M. Stalin becomes the Premier, ready to face, any emergency. His promotion can be interpreted as reflecting that he considers participation in the war not improbable and is determined to figure as the real and formal head of the Government, functioning in accordance with the so-called “ Stalin Constitution.” The Soviet is unlikely to enter the war directly against Britain, and it is scarcely likely that M. _ Stalin will begin a war unless he is quite convinced that it is inevitable. Then he may take the initiative rather than allow Hitler to choose the time and place. _ _ ■ Diplomatic circles in Moscow believe that M. Stalin, in order to maintain a Soviet policy of peace and neutrality, is personally settling Russo-German differences over the German penetration of the Balkans. The diplomatic correspondent of ‘ The Times ’ says the latest Soviet action can be interpreted as a broad hint to Great Britain, who has not recognised the inclusion of the Baltic States in the Soviet Union, that Moscow considers this the main obstacle to better relations between England and Russia. FIRST DIPLOMATIC ACTION MOSCOW. May 9. M. Stalin’s first diplomatic action as Prime Minister has been to inform the Belgian, Norwegian, and Yugoslavian Legations that their status is no longer recognisable owing to loss of sovereignty. STRICTLY TRADE NEW ZEALAND TALJCS IN AMERICA NOT A DIPLOMATIC MISSION WASHINGTON, May 10. The State Department said that the visit of the Hon. F. Langstone and Mr J. G. Coates to Washington was strictly for trade talks and was not a diplomatic mission. ■ EAST INDIES DEFENCE REINFORCED AIR POWER NATIVES LOYAL TO AMGLO-DUTCK CAUSE BATAVIA, May 11. (Received May 12, at 1.20 p.m.) Three hundred thousand Duteh, 1 500,000 Chinese, and over 00,000,000 natives iu the East Indies entered: the second year of war against Germany with a solemn declaration to continue the fight with Britain until the aggressor is defeated. , Th© allsgi&iice ot th© natives to tiie British and Dutch cause was demonstrated by special services m all the mosques throughout the East Indies. At Batavia’s chief mosque the Regent or Batavia addressed the faithful, saying: “The East Indies will offer the strongest opposition if attacked, without consideration from which side the attack comes.” Reviewing the strengthening of the East Indies defences, General J. Bereuschot, Commander-in-Chief of the Netherlands East Indies army, said; “ Our air force has received important reinforcements, increasing the safety of large towns against air attacks. Supplies of new aircraft are still coming forward, and our squadrons'are patrolling the whole Archipelago. These aircraft operate from , bases well defended by infantry and from where they can refuel and load bombs when required. Widespread fuel and ammunition dumps laid down by the army have been reinforced with men, arms, and mechanised equipment. Mobility has been increased with armoured cars and hundreds of motor transport vehicles. In addition to the standing army, a second army, including town guards and country guards, is rapidly being formed. There are new fortifications in many places in the Archipelago, which has greatly increased our defensive power.”-