AXIS WOOS SPAIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24419, 3 October 1940, Page 10

AXIS WOOS SPAIN

DICTATORS SCHEMINGAS ’t j* : 1 • PRESSURE AND PROMISES _ ,■" ' a|P|NTHUSIASTIC envoy ; ; S ' M LONDON, Sept. 19. ■ Hitfer. and, Mussolini" are. scheming theitv;hardest to ; induce General Franco to become a tool of the Axis by helping ...them • agains. Britain. They...are Wangling before him the bait Tof Gibraltar malting much of the visit, Berlin - of liis Foreign Serrano Suner, and turning,'oh'.all'ilie pressure they can.

Tpel -vpf b-German Senor Suner. flattered at his reception by the Nazi leaders, told interviewers: “Spain is non-belligerent only for the moment. General F vnco personally will "decide when Spain will abandon her aloofness.” General Franco, however, is not as rabidly all-for-the-Axis is his relative by marriage, Senor Suner. For one thing, he has to show more restraint becaus of Spain’s internal condition. Spain has'hot recovered from the civil war, and she depends largely on British goodwil for her imports of food and ..raw materials.

Thus, while the Axis partners are doing the best they van, Spain has made an agreement , witl Britain under which Spain vsil] limit her oil imports to a quantity sufficient for domestic consumption The agreement is regarded! in London as highly satisfactory after long negotiations by the British Ministry for Economic Warfare. ‘ jV Suner’s Mission • - Senor Suner, having interviewed Hitler and the German Foreign Minister, Herr von Ribbentrop, is .to take his military, political, and economic mission on to Rome. There he will confer with Mussolini and the Italian Foreign Minister, Count Ciano, , . Meanwhile, Ribbentrop, . safe m an armoured train, is already heading for Rome. Ilibbentrop’s talks with Mussolini and Ciano on Axis schemes are not likely to leave out of the picture the degree of pressure needed to bring Spain to heel. Therefore, Senor Suher’s welcome to Rome is expected to include reminders of the return Spam could make for such tit-bits as Gibraltar. The Rome newspaper Popolo di Roma admits that Senor Suners visit to Rome will be connected with Spain’s claims to Gibraltar and Spain’s part in the Mediterranean, “ as planned by the Axis.” Many Falangists (Spanish - Fascists, whose leader is Senor Suner) are willing to gamble on the chance of <• attempting a-.sudden seizure of Gibraltar,,! ' They believe that! this wduld- enajij'e them-to. impotf Jtouth American t supplies Without:. British snteoeref)O&'- They iwopld .also ueel thaf vbeen ' taken, With Italy’s hclp’and France’s connivance; towards achieving Spanish Imperi.alin Africa. '%. ■ IL-isvQuestionable .ffiow:, far,, yei*would- favOilr su’ClT schemes. Germ any. knows that Latin-bloc tendencies, if pressed too far, might be dangerous to Tier own wider plans for J/uropeah dominion. Mussolini’s Price There is little doubt that, if the attempt to invade Britain is further postponed Mussolini, feeling his own value rising, will-put ,up his price. Mussolini has been practically ousted from ■ thd Balkans by Germany. Trieste, tempts Hitler and the South Tyrol is still 0 TaVent danger. Neither the Tyrolese who have removed to Germany nor those who remain are satisfied. German agents moving among them are advising them to be patient and to remember that the Fuhrer will not forget them and will bring them back to the fold, or rather, extend the fold to embrace them,. ... .■ .. Against .this, Mussolini’s assets are the attack'bn Egypt and possibly assaults •. on Greece ,’and Jugoslavia. MussOlinl'Would' deafly like to play a spectacular part in the.invasion of Britain.,. Sttch'-considerations may seem childish from th'e London viewpoint," but they . iare, . predominant among Fascist exponents Of the creation of a new Roman Empire. Mussolini; 1 sees, himself as the heir, in Africa Of two. dying Powers, Britain and France* and- he wants to assert himself, not .only in Egypt; but ,m London. ' ■ ', ''' . The Berlin correspondent : of the Stockholm newspaper Svenska Dagbladet says that great importance is attached to the visit to Berlin of the ' Italian Colonial Minister,. General Teruzzi. “who is arranging Africas future with General von Epp. Germany’s Colonial Minister designate The correspondent adds; “It is understood that they have agreed that Italy shall receive Egypt and the whole of North Africa, and that Germany shall receive Central Africa. South Africa is expected to become a German dominion under General Hertzog. the former Prime Minister.” Anglo-Spanish Pact [ Referring to Spain’s agreement with Britain under which Spain will limit her imports of oil to her own requirements, Mr A. G. Macdomiell said in a 8.8. C. commentary that the question had been settled with satisfaction and goodwill on both sides. The Premier of Greece.- General Metaxas, stated yesterday that Greek economy was beginning to show the effects of recent events that had caused economic catastrophe elsewhere. Employment was declining in the building trades and other industries.