SPAIN, RUSSIA AND THE WAR
By PROFESSOR E. ALLISON PEERS
c, CAN'T think," remarked the man in the train, " how you can defend those Spaniards Here we are, lending them money and giving them food, and yet they do nothing but abuse us and side with our enemies. Sheer ingratitude, I call it!"
This was chiefly a propos of the latest outburst of Sr. Serrano Saner as reported in the Press at the beginning of last month. No doubt it has been said a good many times more since General Franco, in addressing the Phalangists on July 18, spoke in similar terms, and more intemperately than is his custom. It certainly deserves a commentary.
Leaving out of account the fact that the average Spaniard is much more friendly to us than his rulers, and dealing solely with the Government, our first caveat must be that Spaniards should never be judged by what they say, but always by what they do. Words, to the Spaniard who is not " europeanised " (and that means to all those now in power), are not so much instruments of speech as servants of the emotions. His state- ments, whether flattering or the reverse, are often not for a moment intended to be taken literally. One must learn to interpret, not what he writes, but what lies beneath what he writes, which is no easy matter. Today, the outstanding fact is that, after nearly two years—and for over half that time with the Nazis on her doorstep—Spain has not entered the war. Unless and until she does so, any statements concerning her sym- pathies made by her politicians must be heavily discounted.
Secondly, it must be remembered that Spanish mentality just now is far from normal. If our neighbour has had his house destroyed and his children killed by an air-raid, and has himself only just escaped death, we hardly expect him to discuss the war with calm and detachment, and we make allowances for anything he may say which we think violent, hasty or even offensive. Why should we be less charitable towards Spain?
For Spain has gone through the fiercest civil war known to history. Most of her present rulers either fought in that war, or lost relatives through it, or were political prisoners and narrowly escaped execution. The security and tranquillity of the people were shaken to their foundations. In that con- vulsion, the side that triumphed, and that now rules, was helped by Germany and Italy. Britain, as even her best friends in Spain have to admit, did little more than look on. Those less well disposed to her remember that she refused the Nationalists the belligerent rights to which they considered themselves entitled ; that many Britons joined the International Brigades and fought against them ; that British delegations visited " Red " Spain and reported enthusiastically upon what they found there ; that many hard and bitter things (which hurt when one is in trouble) were said about Nationalist Spain in the British Parliament ; that the savage persecution of the Church in Republican Spain was condoned, or at any rate not condemned, by a large section of British opinion ; and that, ever since Britain recognised the Nationalist Government, there has been, as there still is, an organised, though of course an unofficial, body of opposition to the new regime. What force, by comparison with so heavy a debit account as this, has the loan of a few million pounds or the relaxation of a naval blockade in favour of a few ships carrying food or petrol?
This is not in the least my own point of view, but it is the more or less official Spanish point of view, and it is much to expect the Spaniard, in his present emotional sta to penetrate beneath our actions and discover the excellen of our well-hidden motives. And now a new facts operating further against us, comes into play. The villain the piece, in the Civil War, to all Nationalists, and, as Colon- Casado's book attests, to not a few Republicans, was Son Russia. Germany has now attacked Soviet Russia, Spain deadliest enemy, with whom her present leaders refused fro, the first to have any kind of relations. Britain, on the oth hand, has come to the help of Soviet Russia, and formed • alliance with her. That, says the Spaniard, automatical worsens Spanish relations with Britain ; and, if Spani' Phalangists enlist to fight with Germany and Italy again Russia, they are only acting like the British Socialists a Communists who enlisted to fight with Russians agaia Germans and Italians—not to mention Spaniards.
That the extension of the war to Russia is a blow to Hispan British relations no one who knows the present temper Spain will deny. I do not believe it will bring war betw Britain and Spain any nearer, for the chances of that depe upon other factors altogether, but it will lead to a great deal intransigent language such as that of the speeches alrea alluded to, and it will make the Spaniards go to war le reluctantly if they go at all.
But at the same time there is an account piling up again the Phalangist party which, sooner or later, it will have settle with whatever party, group or regime may challen its supremacy. For, in order to show its gratitude to Germane the Phalanx has for two long years been aping Ge opportunism and insincerity ; and, the more outspoken violent are its denunciations of Soviet Russia now, the MO they throw into relief its unworthy conduct in the past. If in 1941, the ordinary Spaniard will argue, Britain's offer help to the U.S.S.R. is to increase the estrangement betwet Britain and Spain, should not Hitler's pact with the U.S.S.R in 1939 have prejudiced the relations between Spain and N Germany? That did in fact happen so far as the man in street was concerned. I was in Spain at the time of the Ru German pact, and can testify to the bewilderment and dece? tion caused by the duplicity of the man whom Spaniards h been led to believe was the protagonist in the fight again Communism. But in their Phalangist-controlled Press th found no reflection of these sentiments—comment varied fr the reasonably objective to the fulsomely admiring. horrors wrought by their Nazi friends in Catholic Poland d no official denunciation from those whose country had recently undergone similar suffering. The acts of aggress' practised by their enemies upon Finland End her Baltic nei bours were recorded, it is true, with disapproval, but none less their friendship with the allies of their enemies grew do and closer..
Spain will not stand for such a policy as this indefinitely The Phalangists must expect the undercurrent of opposin to them which has always existed to grow in force; and. General Franco is going to identify himself with them, he rn be prepared for the consequences. For the Spaniard is ess daily an idealist ; his history is one of idealism ; his most rec. civil war was a tragedy of idealism ; and he demands a poll of idealism from his rulers.
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