FRANCO'S SPAIN
SIR,—The Madrid newspaper Pueblo of May 19 gives an account of the farewell banquet given by the Madrid City Council to the Commission of British MPs visiting Spain. In his speech Mr. Head, in the name of the Commission, stated the following:
—That the world's press has been giving dis- torted information about Spain, mainly on social conditions; —That 'the strong optimism of the Spanish people is based not only on ideological principles, but on real facts,' such as the improvement of the standard of living;
—That in the present world situation, Spain is a forerunner in the path which Europe is now fol- lowing.
As Spaniards, we would like to put some questions to Mr. Head:
1. Does he know • that only in the last twelve months several political trials have taken place? (He may ask Mr. Ernest Davies and Mr. Bob Edwards, MP, who attended two of these trials as observers.) Does he know that at the very moment when the Commission was in Spain a Catalan leader of Catholic Action was arrested and tortured by the police?
2. Does he know that about 350 priests have signed a letter complaining about the lack of freedom and the bad social conditions of workers?
3. Does he know that in Spain (a) 83 per cent. of the people receive 30 per cent. of the national income and pay 60 per cent, of the taxes?
(b) There are 1,300,000 landless peasants who are paid 44 ptas. per day (about 5s.) for a permanent worker and 51 ptas. (about 6s.) for an occasional worker (they work from 150 to 200 days a year)?
(c) It is necessary for an average worker to work 1 hour 20 minutes for 1 pound of bread; in 1936 he only needed hour? After the former Ambassador's (Sir No Mallet) farewell speech, we do not think these words from
Mr. Head to be a good service to the British people. In 1945 the United States enjoyed a great amount of goodwill in Spain; fifteen years later they are hated in Spain as they can be in few countries in the world.
CHRISTIAN DEMOCRAT LEFT
Previous page
