America and Spain
It seems clear that the United States has now fully determined to resume full diplomatic relations with Spain, a decision which reveals her as further advanced along the path of good sense than this country. The withdrawal of ambassadors was effected as the result of a slightly emotional recommendation of the United Nations Assembly in 1946. A recommendation is not technically binding, but it has considerable moral force, though many United Nations members have in spite of it resumed relations with Spain since 1946. It appears now that the proprieties will be observed, that the United States will propose at the next Assembly in September that the 1946 resolution be rescinded, that many other States, including, it may be hoped, Great Britain, will support her, and that there will once more be a full Diplomatic Corps at Madrid. It may have been genuinely thought that the 1946 resolution would cause General Franco's regime to totter. Actually it has had no effect whatever, except to rally to Franco to some extent a national opinion which takes foreign censoriousness very ill. And the illogicality of main- taining full diplomatic relations with the totalitarian States in Eastern Europe and withholding it from Spain is too blatant for comment. It looks, fortunately, as if the good sense of the United States will beget corresponding good sense elsewhere.
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