CRITICAL JUNCTURE IN SPANISH PROBLEM.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 26, 23 October 1937, Page 4

CRITICAL JUNCTURE IN SPANISH PROBLEM.

On the very verge of what threatened to be a compiete breakdown the dfscussions of the Spanish Non-Intervention Committee have taken a more hopeful turn. Quite unexpectedly jt wotxld seem, Count Grandi, Ihe Italian delegate, has come forward with support, not for the joint Anglo-I rench proposals now more directly submitted to the Committee, but for those advanced away back in July last by Britain alone, and the German delegate has expressed approval. There is, of course, some little difficulty here in guessing at the real motive behihd this so sudden change of front on the part of the two Fascist Powers, which are again evidently moving in close concert, It has to be noted, too, tnat even this ostensible acceptance of the British scheme is hedged aboqt with qualifications and reservations that may still leave room for further lengthy discussion, involving delays that would presumably work to the advantage of the Spanish insurgents, However, as the British Prime Minister has indicated in the House of Commons, little progress towards peaceful solutions is likely to be made unless there is at least an assumption of sincerity of purpose and intentioii on the part of those engaged in the deliberations. Thus ,so far as Great Britain is concerned, tbc policy is still to show a little further patience and take Signor Mussolini and Herr Hitler at their word, so castiiig on them the responsibility of any eventual cqllapse that may occur. On the other hand, however, France does not appear to be so ready in this respect to follow the same course, being full of a quite justifiable suspicion as to what the two, dictators may be keeping up their sleeves. She is also further embarrassed by the need for consulting the feelings and desires of her Russian ally, upon whom she has to reiy for assistance agamst Germany should the worst come to the worst. Russia, on her part, though she has at time of writing given no final decision, has indicated anything but satisfaction with the proposals now brought under review. Thus, whiie, as has been said, some ray of hope has been introduced into a previously very ominous situation, it cannot be said with any confidence that this will brighten further into a really effective working agreement to withdraw all foreign "volunteers" from the conllicting fronts and leave the Spaniards to settle their internal differences as best they may. In the meantime it is, of course, to be observed that, with the fall of Gijon into their hands, the insurgents have now completely subdued any show of serious resistance in the Asturian area on the Bay of Biscay coast, which has been for so long a rankling thorn in General Franco's side, This will leave him in a position to devote all his attention and military resources to the reduction into his control of Madrid and the Mediterranean region, and we may be assured that no time will be lost in putting forth the most strenuous efforts to this end while still he has the advantage of a big body of Italian forces hghting on his side. Another factor that will speed up his movements is the close approach of winter conditions that cannot but greatly interfere with military operations and impede his advance, Thus, for General Franco, time is very much of the essence of early success, and it remains to be seen whether his Fascist friends on the Committee are merely manoeuvring to secure this for him. However, if we are to judge by what has been said on behalf of both Great Britain and France, neither is prepared to tolerate anything that savours of tactics making merely for delay in arriving at decisions and putting them into active practice. As has been hinted, the main difficulty in arriving at an arrangenient favourable to a pacific solution may lie in dealing with Russian objections, and this would probabiy suit the Mussolini-Hitler book. Very definite .interest therefore will centre in the instructions which the Soviet delegate, -M. Maisky, may receive from Moscow, and of these we may have some word later in the day.