NOT ALLIED TO AXIS

Southland Times, Issue 25513, 6 November 1944, Page 5

NOT ALLIED TO AXIS

Spain’s Position Defined

(Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 4. General Franco in his first interview since establishing his Government in 1939 told the British United Press Dadrid corre'spondent that Spain was neither Nazi, nor Fascist, nor allied to the Axis Powers. Franco claimed that Spain’s neutrality policy disproved charges that Spain was under an obligation to “certain European Powers” to aid them militarily against their enemies. He declared that Spain’s actions after the German occupation of France in 1940 were even more important evidence. “When the Germans reached the Spanish frontier, leaving France totally disarmed, Spain, instead of seizing these circumstances to attack France from behind, which our traditional chivalry would never have permitted, adopted a friendly attitude to this neighbour,” he said.* “Then only one European Power remained at war against the Axis and the Unites! States had not entered the war, there was the incomparable moment to take up arms, if the allegations concerning our obligations to the Axis had ' been true; but Spain honourably maintained complete neutrality.” Franco declared that Spain could never ally herself ideologically with nations not guided by the principles of ’Catholicism. There was no obstacle to Spanish collaboration with the principal Allied Powers, including Russia, but there must be no outside interference with her affairs. The presence of the Blue Division on the Russian front involved no thought of aggression against Russia, but constituted only a gesture of Spain’s unalterable opposition to Communism. The final form of Government for Spain was at present. being studied. The moment for a return to the monarchy had not yet arrived, but might come some time after the war. The monarchy would have to be reorganized on a social reformist basis.