SPAIN’S POLITICAL FUTURE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 17 November 1937, Page 6

SPAIN’S POLITICAL FUTURE

IT IK!:’.L months ago a prominent. London journal expressed the j opinion that insufficient: attention! was being paid to General f ranco's undisguised support of Prince Juan as the prospective oc- 1 supant of the empty throne of Spain. At the same time it was pointed out that ex-King Alfonso "lei it he known that he consider'd himself the only candidate for he throne of Spain . . . and had ever given lus full and linal hdicalion.” However, it was rengnised that the former King was generally unacceptable to the Spanish people, and that the renunciations made by his two sons (the Count of Covadonga and Don Jaime) of all right of sucicession left Prince Juan as the only acceptable claimant to the Spanish throne. Indeed, it was generally recognised that, as Prince of Asturias, he is first in the line of succession” to his father. It is urged by loyal Spaniards that King Alfonso violated his oath to the ConatituLion in 192 3, when he allowed Prime de Rivera to make himself dictator of Spain. It seems that General Franco clearly realises that fact, for he has said, "The new monarchy will not be the same as the old," and it is generally understood that the royalist leader is not of the opinion that it would be possible or desirable to replace King Alfonso on the throne. That leaves the Infante Juan (Prince of Asturias) as the most acceptable, if not the sole, candidate for the throne. Recently it was believed in some quarters that the estrangement between the King and the Queen of Spain had been healed, and in Rome it was thought that, if such was the case, General Franco possibly might restore King Alfonso and Queen Victoria to power. Furthermore, it was reported that if the intention was to restore Alfonso, it would be easier for General Franco to obtain money in London for the support of the insurgents’ cause. All that now seems to have been altered, for it is reported from Paris that "a plan has been prepared to place Prince Juan on the j throne." The restoration of stable government in Spain would be of very great benefit to Europe, because, while Spain is in a state ;of civil war, there is a danger of intervention by one or both of the European Dictators, followed by |a general European upheaval. Injdeed, it is widely believed that jit was only the firm attitude of 'Britain and France which prevent!ed the Italian and German Dictators from assuming the political j control of Spain, with a view to i establishing there a form of gov- | eminent agreeable to themselves. | Now, however, it is reported that j if General Franco were to restore the monarchy, and effect the complete withdrawal of foreign volunteers from Spain, "he would get the strongest diplomatic support from Britain.” The British I Government and nation wish to see Spain well-governed and prosjperous. They wish the Spanish nation to decide its own political i future, and there is not much j doubt that the opinion in Britain ! to-day is that Spain’s best hope !for political tranquillity rests with ; General Franco and his royalist | supporters, and it seems that they iare likely to select Prince Juan |to fill the vacancy. Tall, handI some, highly intelligent, Prince ! Juan’s claim to the Spanish throne is warmly championed in more than one quarter of his native country, from which he has long 1 been an exile.