GENERAL FRANCO’S PROMISE

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20739, 24 February 1939, Page 7

GENERAL FRANCO’S PROMISE

VIRTUAL MILITARY ALLIANCE ASSISTANCE TO HITLER AND MUSSOLINI DANGER TO BRITAIN COULD SMASH GIBRALTAR (Independent Cable) (Received Feb. 24, 11.25 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 It is authoritatively stated that in a secret report received by the United States Government it is revealed that General Franco has promised Signor Mussolini and Herr Hitler ‘’full co-operation in the use of Spanish air and naval bases in the event of war between the dictatorships and Britain and France.”

The agreement amounts to a virtual military alliance and represents the price demanded by Italy and Germany for assisting to crush the Spanish Republican Government.

Although the alliance thus far is informal, it is strictly binding. The terms give Italy and Germany bases in Spain which would enable them to smash Gibraltar.

BRITAIN AND FRANCE

defence of their liberty than they have ever been.”

No Desire for Mediation

SOLIDARITY OF INTEREST CLOSE CO-OPERATION ASSURED GUARANTEE AGAINST DANGER (Official Wireless) (Received Feb. 24, 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, Feb. 23 A debate was raised in the House of Lords on the question of AngloFrench relations by Lord Addison, who welcomed .Mr Chamberlain s statement of February 6. “The solidarity of interest by which France and this country are united,” he said, “is such that any threat to Hie vital interest of France, from whatever quarter it came, must evoke the immediate co-operation of this country.” Replying to the debate, Viscount Halifax" said that the statement of course represented the unanimous view of the British Government, and the public response to it constituted, he thought, impressive testimony of the substantial unanimity of the whole country on that question. There had been attempts in certain quarters to under-estimate or qualify Mr Chamberlain's assurance of solidarity with

Viscount Halifax, after stating that neither the French nor the Italian Gov-

ernments had shown any desire for third-party mediation, added: “And of course nothing of that sort can be expected unless and until desired by both parties. Indeed at present the Italian Government has not. formally indicated what it thinks are the precise points of difference between itself and France.” THE NEW SPAIN SMALLER POWERS’ RECOGNITION (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) HELSINKI, Feb. 22

“Any such attempts as those,” continued" Viscount Halifax, “I must greatly regret, since it would be a profound error to suppose that any mental reservation of any kind accompanied Mr Chamberlain's words. The declaration, indeed, was quijte clear and unmistakeable, and, translated into a homely phrase, it was ‘Halt—major road ahead.’ That was its purpose. Welcome to M. Lebrun “It is not necessary to make verbal assertions of British solidarity with France. That solidarity will shortly again be proved by the welcome which the country will give to M. Lebrun. “It is not only the geographical situation that draws Britain close to France, but identity of interests and the completeness of mutual understanding. Those factors are the best guarantee against the danger that, under certain circumstances, one might be tempted to subordinate its policy to that of the other. “Anglo-French solidarity is not, and never has been, intended to constitute any menace of any sort to a third party. The records of both Governments and the efforts which both Governments have made to maintain peace are sufficient evidence of the truth of that statement.” ltalo-French Differences Referring to differences between Italy and France the Foreign Secretary said that in one respect they, did not concern Britain, but in another sense they concerned Britain very closely, for not only were British relations with France on a solid foundation but they had been glad recently to have restored relations with Italy and hoped to maintain those relations on the basis of^ complete cordiality.

It is understood that Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland have agreed simultaneously to recognise General Franco.

Viscount Halifax stated that neither the French nor the Italian Government had shown any desire for third-party mediation. He went on to refer to suggestions which had been made abroad that if the British Government stood for

peace there were others in England who stood for war, and that that fact justified suspicions regarding the purpose of British rearmament. “I should have thought,” declared Viscount Halifax, amid cheers, “that everyone must have recognised that there is no war party in this country. “There is no party or statesman who would for one moment contemplate an aggressive war tar who would get any support for such a policy. To hold such ideas shows such people singularly ignorant of the British nation.” ! ‘‘There is another diametrically opposed idea, which lias a certain currency in some quarters abroad, and which interprets Hie British love of ! peace as a sign of weakness. That jis as completely uninformed as the I other. Make no Mistake i “Let them make no mistake. The ! material and moral resources of | Britain are enormous and the spirit of ■ our people has in no way altered. We do not desire a test of strength, for we believe that wars unsettle inure than they ever settle and that Ihere | are no questions which, given guodj will, cannot be hr..ugh 110 a solution by discussion, but should the lest ever be forced upon us our people will be j found to-day not lees tenacious In Hie

RECOGNITION BY FRANCE

MEETING OF THE CABINET (United press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Feb. 24, 1 p.m.) PARIS, Feb. 23 The Cabinet, at a meeting on February 27, is expected to igrant de jure recognition of General Franco. 6ET AT LIBERTY CONSULAR AGENT AND WIFE SEQUEL TO MAILBAG INCIDENT (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 22 The British agent at Burgos has been officially informed that Mr H. Golding, British Consular agent, and his wife, who were arrested after the alleged use of the Consular mailbag for rebel activities, have been provisionally set at liberty.

SPANISH WAR MATERIAL

BIG PURCHASE BY FRANCE MILLIONS OF POUNDS WORTH (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 23 The French Government is completing a big deal with the Spanish Republican Government in connection with the retreat of the Catalonian army, says the Perpignan correspondent of the Times. It is buying thousands of horses, mules and donkeys and an immense amount of war material, including motor-cars, lorries, ambulances, aeroplanes and guns worth, at a conservative estimate, several millions of 1 The transaction will be legal if it is concluded before tiio recognition of General Franco's regime.

COMMENT IN GERMANY

“FAIRY TALES” DISCLAIMED (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) BERLIN, Feb. 22 The Boerscn Zeitung, in commenting on Mr Chamberlain's speech on

defence in the House of Commons, says he showed a desire to put a distance between himself and those in Britain, and particularly those in America, who are attempting to produce a catastrophic atmosphere by the aid of fairy tales about the aggressive intentions of others. RECOGNITION OF FRANCO THE ATTITUDE OF BRITAIN MATTER NOT DECIDED (United Pres# Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Feb. 24, i p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 23 Answering -a question in Hie House of Commons Mr Atlee, Leader of the Labour Party, who asked if the British Government has come to any decision on the recognition of General Franco, Mr Chamberlain said he regretted that he is not in a position to add to his previous statements on the subject.

A GREAT PARADE

ARMY TRANSPORT VEHICLES WATCHED BY PALIAMENTARIANS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 22 A party of 140 members of both Houses of Parliament spent nearly two hours at Aldershot to-dav, watching a representative parade of army transport vehicles and tanks, many of the latter being new types in the experimental stage, details of the construction and design of which have not yet been made public. THE BRITISH NAVY TWO NEW BATTLESHIPS THE LARGEST EVER BUILT (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON Feb. 22 The two new battleships of the 1938 programme which are to be built at northern shipyards will be named Lion and Temeraire. The Lion will be built at Walker-on-Tyne by Vickers-Armstrongs, on the slip made vacant by the launching of the King George V., and the Temeraire at Birkenhead by Cammell, Laird on the slip which on May 3 will become vacant when the Princess Royal launches the battleship Prince "of Wales. Both vessels will be of 40,000 tons. About 3000 men will be directly employed on each ship for more than three years, and the sub-contracts for fittings carried out in various parts of the country will account for the employment of many thousands more. It is estimated that the orders for new battleships represent £12.000,000 for wages in the next 40 months. The Lion and Temeraire will be the largest battleships ever built. The Nelson and Rodney are of 33,500 and 3.3.900 tons displacement, and of about 38.000 tons at full load. The world’s largest capital ship is the British battle-cruiser Hood, of 12,100 tons. NEW ORDNANCE FACTORY TO BE OPENED BY KING (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 23 The King and Queen will walk nearly two miles along underground passages when His Majesty on March i i opens the ElO.Ortu.uoo ordnance factory at Chorley, in Lancashire. Its completion ends the world’s biggest and speediest building contract, which has transformed 2000 acres of countryside into more than GOO muni-lion-filling buildings. Beneath the factory is a maze of bomb-proof, reinforced concrete shelters and magazines electrically Lighted, in which employees will be able lo continue to work in perfect safety from air raids.