FRANCO CLAIMS HE SAVED BRITAIN

Chronicle (Levin), 16 May 1946, Page 5

FRANCO CLAIMS HE SAVED BRITAIN

FRANTIC APPLAUSE GREETS SFAIN'S EEADER LOXDOX, Alay 3 5. General Franco, speaking in tlie new Cortes at Mailrid, clainied that countries breaking ol'f reiations witli Hpain were either under Rijssjan pressure or were political adveuturers seekiug favour with the su.ecessfn] sidc, The Fxeliange Telegraph Ageney's Aladrid correspondent described the scene as General Franco spoke as eoni parable with tlie Reichstag listening tix lljtler. The applause when General Franco appeared was frantic. General Franco warned aliens againsl interfering in the all'uirs of the Sjianish ' ' ('atholic Deniocracy. '' In conunenting 011 the Heeuritv Council discussions, General Franco said: "We don 't want a Red Hpain." Genera] Franco said that Senor Girai, the Premier of the Spanish Republican Government in exile, and otlier Htale less Repubjicnns had made a mess oi tliings in Hpain, finishing up in a civii war which'was "because of an historic necessity. J ' General Franco clainie.i tliat Hpain was an historic developinent of Democratic ideas. Ghristian Catiiolicism was the essenee of Hpanish thouglit and life. The correspondent described th« spoeeh as "wildlv incoherent " against a baekgrounil of ajiplause wilich swellen repeatedly into frenzied outbursts. Franco said when the Germanarrived at the Freneh-Hpanish border. Britain begged H])ain not to allow tlieui passage across Hpain. Hpain diil not allow a passage and Fngland was saved.