HOPE FOR SPANISH MONARCHISTS

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 291, 7 September 1942, Page 5

HOPE FOR SPANISH MONARCHISTS

Restoration Rumours

(Received September 6, 7 p.m.)

LONDON, September 5. Activity in Spanish Pretender circles at Lausanne, where emissaries from General Franco'arrived yesterday, are reported by the Geneva correspondent of “The Times,” who adds that Spanish loyalist circles in Geneva say that important changes can be expected in Spain soon, though not without some bloodshed. r , According to a message from Madrid quoted by Berlin radio, General Perez, Minister of Justice in the new Cabinet, said in a statement today that Spam-, ards “will not allow peace, which alone

makes the execution of the national revolution possible, to be snatched away.” General Ferez emphasized that he is directly responsible -to General Franco.

The Berne correspondent of the “New York Times” says informed circles interpret the reshuffle as the first of several moves preceding the return of Alfonso’s son, Don Juan, to the throne. The whereabouts of the ousted Ministers is unknown, but it is reported that iSenor Suner, who is considered to be responsible for Spain’s equivocal position, left Madrid for an undisclosed destination. It is rumoured that he intended a coup d’etat to forestall restoration of the monarchy. The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” says that the reshuffle of the Spanish Government is regarded as favourable for the democracies, since Senor Suner was conspicuously pro-Axis. Observers hesitate to express a definite opinion till it can be discerned to what extent the shake-up resulted from frictions inside the Falange, but they point out that Washington recently started efforts to maintain Spain as a non-bel-ligerent buffer-between occupied Europe and Gibraltar and Africa; and furthermore, that Spanish-American relations are improving because General Franco is believed to be determined upon neutrality. Washington sources have also received reports that the Spanish Church Army has become increasingly opposed to iSenor iSuner’s pro-Nazi policy.