SPAIN’S POLICY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 October 1940, Page 7

SPAIN’S POLICY

NOT JOINING IN WAR AT PRESENT ACCORDING TO SPOKESMAN IN BERLIN. VITAL ECONOMIC FACTORS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON. October 24. Whatever may have been the reason of Herr Hitler's long journey to the Spanish frontier to confer with General Franco, it must be related to a statement made in Berlin tonight by a Nazi official to the effect that Spain does not intend at present to declare war on Britain. This official and others claimed that there is no longer any doubt about Spain's place in the Axis scheme, but they admitted that because of the economic position resulting from the civil war it was too much to expect Spain to join in the war at present. The final statement attributed to these Nazi officials is that Spain, in any case, could not embark on a war without oil. Reports have been circulating in Switzerland that Herr Hitler, when he saw General Franco yesterday, was chiefly seeking the use of the Spanish Atlantic ports as bases for his submarines and aircraft. How such use could be made of neutral territory without that territory ceasing to be neutral is not obvious. HITLER SEEKING ALLIES. So far there has been no official statement on the talks. A similar reserve is being maintained on the Spanish side, although General Franco has now gone back to Madrid. The fact that Herr Hitler on this occasion found it necessary to trek right across France to the Spanish border in order to see General Franco has aroused widespread comment. The general impression is that his talks with both M. Laval and General Franco have had a similar object, and that Germany is not satisfied with the support of. Italy and is still in quest of fresh allies. Nazi statements suggest that Herr Hitler’s interview with General Franco has led to a big reduction in the German demands ort Spain. Herr Hitler was accompanied to the Spanish frontier by a drafting expert of the German Foreign Office, and this suggests that Herr Hitler sought General Franco’s signature to some sort of agreerpent. A. British Official Wireless message states that the meeting between Herr Hitler and General Franco, following so closely on that between Herr Hitler and M. Laval, naturally caused almost world-wide speculation. A feature which attracted interest is that Hitler on this occasion apparently found it' necessary to make the long journey to the Pyrenees in the by personal contact with General Franco he might be able, by blandishments, promises. and even threats, to impel or tempt Spain along the Axis path. It remains to be seen whether the Fuehrer’s meeting with General Franco himself will yield results different from Senor Suner’s visit to Berlin, when he declined to enter into any political commitment on behalf of the Spanish Government. The hard facts of the situation in Spain hitherto no doubt influenced General Franco in the wise and cautious policy he adopted, a policy dictated by the real interests of Spain after a long and exhausting civil war. POSSIBLE NAZI AIMS. Newspapers discuss the possibility that in essence the Axis Powers’ proposals, which it is believed may have been laid before Vichy as well as Madrid, are based on the German idea that if Spain and France will collaborate in a new order in Europe involving necessarily the suzerainty of Germany, peace can be restored speedily and that these countries can participate in the benefits. In London it is thought that there is reason to believe that in order to amplify and support these proposals the Germans are about to embark on a scheme of falsification of news compared with which their past efforts would be almost respectable. It is assumed that this will include the piesentation of an England unable to resist the enormous might of Germany, and that this theme will be presented in innumerable aspects. In a carefully balanced examination of the prospects of this latest German overture. British commentators are by no means convinced that the Axis proposals will be adopted as readily as Berlin hopes. The Spaniards have had some experience of the Germans.

Despite the propaganda with which Spain is flooded, there is less _ conviction in Spain that an Axis victory is certain than the propagandists would wish. There are signs of disinclination to readily barter away solid economic gains which the existing policy promises. Those most familiar with Spain and the Spanish character emphasise that the traditional Spanish sense of honour might well lead them to treat German and Italian proposals with some measure of contempt.