i AMERICAN GOVERNMENT SERIOUSLY CONCERNED

Chronicle (Levin), 4 March 1946, Page 5

AMERICAN GOVERNMENT SERIOUSLY CONCERNED

Press Assn.-

j Spanish Army Believed Larger and Better Equipped

By Telegraph

-Copyright

Received Sunday 10.15 p.m. LONDON, March 3. American congressional circles report that the Government is seriously concerned about the possibility of an armed conflict between France and Spain. United States officials are studying means of helping to supply combat planes for the French Air Force. The State Department says no information is available, but from Capitol sources it is understood that preliminary discussions centred on the question of whether the United States, Britain or Russia is best able to supply aircraft. The Franco regime is at present spending about half its Budget on military preparations. Washington sources believe that Spain could put a larger and better equipped army into the field than France. Plans for selling more transport planes to Spain, which had heen far advanced, were halted a few days ago owing to the Spanish situation.

After sitting until after midnight the Spanish Cabinet issued a statement describing the anti-Franco campaign arising from the Republican ex as an attempt to glorify vulgar, common criminals as martyrs for a political ideal, says the Association Press corre spondent. The statement added that the campaign had been internatienally organised by Communists to drag Spain down into chaos and disorder. The statement emphasised that Franco was determined to maintain order with all firmness and to guarantee national security. It accused France of training Com munists in Norlh African sabotage schools and allowing them to organise armed expeditions to Spain. It aiso ac cused France of protecting Spanish terrorist organisations; also of foment ing an anti Spanish campaign at inter national gatherings. The statement pointed out that with in a few hours of the Republican exe cutions, a rain of protests fell on the Spanish Government, even from the most remote countries. Shortly after wards there began anti Spanish demon strations and finally attacks on the buildings of Spanish missions abroad, an of which were proof of an inspired campaign. Commercial traffic between Spain and France is completely stopped and no ships bound for France are allowcd to leave Spanish ports, says Reuter's Mad rid correspondent. CHARGES AGAINST FRANCE. A Spanish Cabinet statement des cribed the French decision to close the frontier as being "without explanation l'->«...uiation of cause" and as an unusal ari at ary action. The statement said Spain had resisted r.i.coxxip dining t war 10 ra aiisit.on tr.aicx. pi'opci.y in Sijani an 1 had pex'xiixtcei, thoiis.ixid' 0* Frm h saldiers to flot across fepc.ui to jo.n ihe LesiStauct Movomtnn in JioKii xifrica. Sp .in iiud co:::n..ion'tly iHiisuial a goo.t iijxg.iijoui poha y 10 >,\,rds i'rance. • Among anti-Spani m aitions by Fran 0, the scatein mt comr.ia.n al, was ill treaiment of Red Spamsh exiles in I'roij.ai cou.-entratlon can.«:s r.iM in htunau expioitation of Spt nish worn mi.ix on the trans Ha hara rai.way. The statement chargcd I nince with compiicity in "the assav.it cn thc Spanish frontier" in Octeiicr, 1944 with brigades of mere than bfloo men. (Spanish troops and Repuo.invi s were report'.d to have riashed in ccto.ber, 1944). The statement mn.Ie a dis':i:irtion-be tween Ihe French people ar.d the "actirns of the Co.maunist conveution following ioreign ordois. " Fxencn 111 terfert in the conrse of Jpan.sii jus tico, the statement ciaimru, was "a ■ Cor»'.nmnist-i n.spir ed cainpaign oi libei untii-. tl.e giuse oi .tiise h lunamtarianis.'ii. Spain knows how p ...CxUi the soh.t.ons su.jg.b.Lca iioiu abroad arc un stn. T oxidgvs towf.ius lfioouy commun i;;t ciiac;.. cJpain onperiencf. .t tiixS once and .s reriainiy not v.xixing ftui bac.. ixito ; nru and will r.«. aii cjscs d"iend hcr iiu.fi i:.u pcaee." ' An Olso I:.; ssago says that 5J0. st. donts paracud tnv otisixicss secuon of the city, shcat.uj "Down with l; .0 oi" A pi.vne ,.rorpod leafiets i .gji.g a rupture 0*. iciavioiu witx Lp ' ..j. THREE-POWFiR DSCLAI'ATION. Bi'tain is alniost certain to agree to the United States proposal ior a three lov. r declaration 0:1 Spaiu wlvch has a o'-ay heen accepted by France, says t.s - jr-re? s Association. Conferences are p --i\ nl.ng at high speed in London,: \V 3.. : ugt on, and Paris. Lcvd Halifax s .ari Mr. Byrnes to clear up points 1 oi i j'j American Note. A declaration under the present pro- j p' would probahly invite Franco to resign, demand free electicns and an a.i iij.ity for . political prisoners, and oil'er joint support for a hroad-based ; Cxuet iker Government. ' Thc I-dadrid correspondent of. the Assoii. ted Press reports thar the Spanish C'cm.-xiaiiiSt Paity has issued ieaflets : calLug i'or strikes and the closing 01 sfioj s in protest agaimst the Iranco rogiuw. Tiie leafiets went througn the | po.d-il service in plain envelopes. | Three Spanish Republiern leaders, ; Scu'.r Jose Giral, Pae3iuxJ.1t of the ; Kp iixiih Repuhlican Govern. nent, Senor ) Jose Irla, President of Cat.ilonia, anc Se.x-jr Antonio Aquirre, President of the j Basque Government, issued a manifestc : in Paris promising popular ole-ticns in | Sp ivi as soon as possible rfter tb.e re 1 sb.r-.tion of the Repub-ic. The exiied ! lerdoai declared their- opposition to any j negiii iations with parties which did not j h'.a cpc a "compiete Repuhlican re- 1 gii.xe." 1