WOOL FOR SPAIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26274, 4 October 1946, Page 9

WOOL FOR SPAIN

Sir,—The question of trade with Spain is not so simple as our hot-headed Communists seem to believe. So far as wool is concerned New Zealand has a tremendous accumulated surplus, which is an embarrassment to the woolgrowers, to the New Zealand Government, and to the British Government, which owns most of the old stock. The problem is to get this wool into consumption without incurring too much financial loss, and without ruining the market for the current and future clips. Many nations are badly in need of wool, including our late enemies, Germany, Italy and Japan. It will be recognised that arrangements must be made to supply them. We were not at war with Spain, out it is well., known that the Spanish Government was pro-Nazi, and it was only the caution of France and possibly the diplomacy of Britain that prevenetd open conflict. Britain is now urgently in need of food, and Spain is in a position to supply certain foods, as well as minerals essential for manufacturing. Vour correspondent, " Eyes Open, just returned after four years’ war service, writes of Spanish atrocities which he has heard of first hand from eye-witnesses. I have no doubt that all he says is true. During the Spanish civil war frightful acts of barbarism were committed on both sides, and it is only to be expected that oppression and victimisation have continued under the Franco regime. But we must take a realistic attitude, knowing that such horrors do take place in countries which are not democratically governed. If for this, reason we break off all relations with Spain we must act logically and take similar action against Russia, China, the Argentine, Greece, and the Balkan States. Such a policy is obviously not sensible. It is only a few months since the Security Council of the United Nations examined the problem of Spain, and while every member condemned the Franco Government the decision was that at present it does not constitute a threat to peace. The small minority on the committee who did think Spain an immediate menace had the peculiar distinction of representing nations which practise similar suppressions of liberty to that complained of - consequently their criticism is hardly worthy of consideration.—l am, etc., October 2. Loyalist.