The Wanganui Chronicle WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1939. RECOGNITION OF FRANCO

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 50, 1 March 1939, Page 6

The Wanganui Chronicle WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1939. RECOGNITION OF FRANCO

THE recognition of General Franco by the British and French Governments is in keeping with what has come to be termed the “realistic” policy which has been followed. On the face of things, however, it is an undesirable step to have taken, although it may have advantages. In a world where legality has been laid aside even by those countries which still profess to practice it, legality cannot be treated with much respect when it comes to recognising a de facto government. Legality means the rule of law as against a. policy of expediency. Expediency is a dangerous policy to pursue because it provides precedents for all sorts of conduct and consistency only for inconsistency. The rule of law was laid aside by those countries which intervened in the Spanish Civil War for supposedly idealogical ends, but it was equally laid aside by those countries like Great Britain and France, which aided the illegal side by maintaining an attitude of neutrality which was purely partisan in its incidence. It is not surprising that Italy and Germany have regarded both Great Britain and France as countries to be trifled with and have so acted. The result of this illegal conduct on the part of the several nations has been to eliminate the Government of Spain and now, before the capital lias been taken—and it appears only to be holding out because its population prefers to die fighting than to die by slaughter—and before the civil war-cum-Italio-German invasion has completed its work, a rush has been made to recognise General Franco’s Government. The policy of the British and the French Governments appears to be to avoid being left behind in the race to recognise the de faeto Government of Franco in the hope that British interests will thereby be served. Whether this will prove to be the case may be doubted on broad general lines, but it would be unwise to come to a definite conclusion on the immediate interests without being closer to the scene than is possible for anyone other than the British and French Governments. Compromising with illegality is, nevertheless, playing with dynamite which may explode when least expected and in a manner most, uncomfortable to the compromisers. For instance, the famous Centre Party provided the necessary majority which gave to Hitler the supreme power in Germany in a manner which violated the Constitution. The Centre (Catholic) Party made its compromise with illegality on that occasion and now it is paying for that support in the spoliation of that party’s priesthood and property in a manner which the Centerists never contemplated nor thoug’ht possible. It is only to be hoped that, no similar experience awaits those who have supported General Franco in his blood bath for the Spanish people.