POWERS’ BID FOR UNITY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21963, 6 March 1946, Page 5

POWERS’ BID FOR UNITY

ANTI-FRANCO FORCES IN SPAIN

RUSSIA SEEKS DIRECT ACTION

BRITISH-U.S.-FRENCH COMPROMISE MOVE (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (10 a.m.) WASHINGTON, March 5. •The tripartite declaration on Spain is regarded in Washington as a compromise designed to keep Britain, America and France in step on policy to Spain and induce the politicians opposed to Franco to cease quarrelling among themselves. American officials believe that the main hope of getting rid of Franco is unity among the major Allies on the Spanish problem and greater unity among Spanish Royalists, Communists, Socialists and liberal Democrats. Russia has already broken away from the Big Four and favours direct action against Franco, while France was on the verge of also breaking away and following a sharp unilateral policy. It was to prevent the latter development and to offer some inducement to the forces opposing Franco inside and outside Spain that the present declaration was issued. .

May go to Security Council If it fails to produce a coalition, however, it is unlikely that Washington and London will be ablc to prevent Moscow and Paris taking much more serious action against Franco and appealing to the United Nations’ Security Council.

Russia favours an immediate diplomatic and economic embargo against Spain until the Franco regime collapses. but Britain and America oppose this on the ground that it would produce civil war in which Franco and his henchmen would be the last to suffer. „„ , Mr. Carleton Hayes, the United States Ambassador to Spam from 1942 to 1945, said he would leave Spain to the Spaniards and patiently trust them to accomplish their own evolution. He added that when _ President Roosevelt sent him to Spain his instructions were in accordance with the traditional American policy, but now the United States seemed to be following a new line which said that it must virtually invade any country in order to hold democratic elections. “Spain was at least indirectly helpful to us in winning the war,” he said. “Now Spain is charged with being proAxis. Personally, I think the charge is unjust, untrue and contrary to _ the facts. Spain during the war permitted 1200 Americans to pass across the country while German submarine crews were being interned. A passage was also allowed for 25,000 Frenchmen on their way to the Free French forces and 7000 refugees of all nations. Madrid radio, af.ter a silence of 12 hour s on the subject, has put out a heavily-censored version of the declaration by Britain, United States and France.

establishment of the present Spanish regime and on which it was fashioned. The Spanish people themselves must, in the long run, work out their own des.tiny. It was hoped that civil war would be averted, despite the present regime’s repressive measures against the orderly efforts of _ the Spanish people to organise and give expression to their political aspirations. The recognition of an interim government would include full diplomatic relations and whatever economic assistance is possible. “The question of the maintenance or the termination of diplomatic relations with the preseat Spanish regime by the British, American and French Governments must be decided in the light of events and alter taking into account the efforts of the Spanish > people to achieve their own freedom,” it stated. Deep British Resentment

The Minister of State, Mr. P. J. NoelBaker, replying to a question in _ the House of Commons, said the British Ambassador had made representations to the Spanish Government regarding the execution of Senor Christino Garcia and nine other Spaniards. The Ambassador had also been asked for a report on the imprisonment of 37 members of the Spanish Socialist Party. Senor Garcia, according to the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, was convicted on charges of murder, assault and robbery. The British Ambassador was told to inform the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs that the executions had aroused deep resentment in Britain. The Ambassador was further told to inform the Spanish Government that the arrest of 37 Socialists for organising the Socialist Party was repugnant to Britain and would have a bad reaction on Anglo-Spanish relations. Major L. Wilkes (Lab.) said that in view of the increasingly terroristic nature of the regime in Spain, verbal representations had not had the necessary effect. Further action was required. May Go To Security Council Mr. Noel-Baker said he had better not add at the moment to what he had already said. Mr Noel-Baker added that the British Government was considering the French Government’s suggestion that the Spanish situation should be submitted to the Security Council. Vice-Admiral E. A. Taylor (Con.) asked: “Why is the question of the internal organisation of Spain being brought before the Security Council?” Mr. Noel-Baker replied: “That will be apparent when the French Note is published, if it is published.” Mr. K. Pickthorne (Con.) asked: “Is the British Government considering identical action against other Governments where civil liberties are not thought to be safer than in Spain?” Mr. F. Seymour Cocks (Lab.) asked: “Is the Minister aware there is a strong feeling in the Labour Party and the T.U.C. that the British Ambassador in Madrid should be withdrawn?” There was a chorus of cries for answers to these last two questions, but none was made.

Mention of General Franco by name was omitted and also the clauses critical of the Falangist Government. “There is no intention of interfering in .the internal affairs of Spain,” states the joint British, American and French Government declaration issued by the Foreign Office. The declaration states the three Governments hoped .the Spanish people would not again be subjected to the horrors of a civil war and that, instead, “leading patriotic and liberalminded Spaniards may soon find means of bringing about the peaceful withdrawal of General Franco, the abolition of an interim or ‘caretaker’ Government freely elected by the people.” It adds that, providing the interim Government dedicated itself to granting a political amnesty ensuring the return of exiled Spaniards, freedom of assembly and political association and provision for free public elections, i.t should receive the recognition and support of all the freedom-loving peoples. The statement says the three Governments agreed that as long as General Franco continued to control Spain the Spanish people could no.t anticipate full and cordial association with those nations which, by a common effort, had brought the defeat of German Nazism, which had aided the