FRANCO REGIME

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 April 1946, Page 5

FRANCO REGIME

BRITAIN OPPOSES ACRON' THREAT CONSIDERED NOT ESTABLISHED THE WARSAW_RESOLUTION LONDON, April 18. The United Nations Security Council to-day adjourned till Tuesday without taking a vote on the Polish resolution proposing that all members of UNO be called on to sever diplomatic relations with Spain. Besides the Polish resolution, the Council will have before it on Tuesday an Australian amendment proposing that a subcommittee of Council members be set up to examine the facts and make a report. The British representative (Sir Alexander Cadogan) opposed the Polish resolution. He said that Britain had no information so far confirming the allegation that German scientists were working in Spain on new weapons, nor that war criminals or Nazi leaders were being given refuge. The Spanish Republicans’ assertion that 450,000 troops were massed on the French frontier was considerably in excess of British estimates. France Supports Warsaw

M. Bonnet offered France’s full support of the proposal for collective severance of relations with Spain. The Mexican delegate (Senor Naers), endorsing the Polish demand, said’that General Franco’s power and prestige would be enhanced if the Council did not take action. Dr. van Kieffens said that the Netherlands had not considered for one moment the idea of breaking off even diplomatic relations with Spain, because the Spanish people would be the first to suffer. “Breaking off relations might cause a renewal of civil war, which has already caused so much suffering,” he said. “Holland does not like the Franco regime, but that does not mean that we are prepared to take action against it.” Sir Alexander Cadogan told the Security Council that Britain opposed the Polish motion for concerted action by the United Nations to break off diplomatic relations with Spain. “I cannot admit that the case so far made against the Spanish Government has established a threat to peace, a breach of peace, or an act of aggression,” he said. “I therefore do not consider it appropriate to ask now for a collective severance of diplomatic relations.”. Close Watch Kept

Sir Alexander indicated that something was being done in Spain in order to root up German influence there. “This is being done at the instance ‘of our diplomatic missions, who are watching closely the Spanish Government’s actions and also constantly urging it to meet its obligations,” he said. “H these missions were removed the field would be left free for the Germans. We would have no check on them.” • Sir Alexander said the British Embassy in Madrid had reported in January that there was no evidence whatever to suggest that German scientists in Spain were engaged on research on new methods of warfare. Britain had no information so far which would confirm the allegation. British official reports indicated that all official and most semi-official German assets had been handed over by the Spanish Government to the Allied missions in Madrid. There were still 10,000 to 12,000 Germans in Spain, but most were private individuals. Only about 2500 officials, agents, and similar types of Nazis had been discovered worthy of repatriation. There were only about 150 German soldiers in Spain. Britain had no information of German war criminals or Nazi leaders being given refuge in Spain. ' The Polish case was based largely on General Franco’s attitude and acts in the early war years, rather than on the current situation in Spain, said Sir Alexander Cadogan. Spain’s attitude had so far been cooperative, and it compared favourably with other neutral Governments in the transference of German assets to Allied control. Russian Contention

Mr. Gromyko (Russia), contending that the Franco regime menaced world peace, said there were at present at least 80,000 Nazis in Spam, many of whom were holding high positions in industry. German firms operating in Spain possessed assets totalling 100,000,000 dollars. The Polish resolution corresponded with the letter and spirit of the Charter and the aims of the United Nations. Dr. Velloso (Brazil) opposed the Polish proposal, but urged the Council to take steps to investigate the charges that scientific research on new weapons was being conducted in SP Mr' Stettinius (United States) closed the day’s debate, declaring that America believed the Spanish people should overthrow the Franco Government Such overthrow should be peaceful. He said America had been urging for months, especially with France and Britain, that Geneial Franco’s fate should be left to an aroused Spanish people. , The New York “Herald-Tribune, in a leading article, says: “Most of the Polish allegations against Franco Spain are undoubtedly true. However, if they add up to the fact that Franco is a threat to world peace, then the mere severance of diplomatic relations is ridiculously inadequate. If they do not then the raising of the issue adds up to the implications that Poland is' trying to use the United Nations machinery to make nationalistic propaganda which everyone knows will never eventuate in action. ARMED BANDS PREPARE FOR INTERVENTION ? LONDON, April 18.

While the Security Council tonight was discussing the Spanish question, the Madrid radio was heard in London - declaring that armed bands were training on French soil for intervention on Spanish territory. The radio said: “The Security Council’s task is to. take measures against States endangering the peace. Why don’t Britain and America investigate these French preparations?”