NAZI INFLUENCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 March 1941, Page 5

NAZI INFLUENCE

LOSING GROUND IN SPAIN MASSES STRONG HATRED SENOR SUNER STILL WORKING FOR AXIS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, March 19. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Lisbon correspondent says that despite recent intensification of the Nazi war of nerves, German influence is steadily losing ground in Spain. The Spaniards’ traditional suspicion of foreigners is expressing itself among the masses in rapidly-mounting hatred of the Germans.

Inhabitants of northern Spain are enraged by periodic incursions of German lorries, which tour the countryside buying up farm crops with worthless paper money.

There is also a growing conviction in Government quarters that Spain has more to lose than gain by over-close association with Germany. This development is partly due to accumulating benefits from commercial agreements with Britain. British officials are administering the agreement admirably, tactfully avoiding injury to Spanish pride, while feeding the starving country. < Colonel Donovan’s talks with Spanish leaders also powerfully helped to convince them that they must look to Britain and America for Spain’s economic salvation.

Politically, there is still a pronounced leaning toward Germany. The Minister of the Interior Senor Suner, who is now renewing attempts to gather more portfolios under his control, remains convinced of the invincibility of German arms.