The Spanish Veil The Spanish pressures on Gibraltar have been
going on now for nearly nine months. They are seriously damaging the country's economy and keeping out foreign investment. Yet this week the mission of Gibraltarian ministers left London without receiving anything more than further British promises that the situation would be kept under review. British reticence is, of course, understandable. It has been long believed here that, given time, the Spaniards would lift their veil, revealing a surprising degree of develop- ment, and that Spain would take her natural place in the comity of Western European nations, old rancours forgotten. The Gibraltar problem would then solve itself, whereas to face it now would only postpone the day of Spain's return to the fold. Moreover, for the United States, Spain is the reserve ally or base in Europe. If the French or the Germans are difficult, there will always be the Spaniards to fall back on and nothing must be done to offend them. So the Americans have not surprisingly turned down a British request to whisper a few words in Spanish ears. Which leaves the Gibraltar problem where it was, with the poor little Rock unfortunately having to put up with a few knocks for the sake of the wider vision of Spain in Europe. It is not very nice and it is not very. sensible. It may very probably lead to the resignation of the Gibraltar government, and a splendid colonial problem that will present for a British Labour government! What is more is that the result of all this inaction is that the Spaniards are con- vinced they are winning. Their case has already been endorsed by the UN Committee on Colonial- ism. It will look a great deal better if they can point to direct rule by a British Governor. The case for letting the Spaniards know exactly how much harm the British government can do to the Spanish tourist trade by retaliatory restrictions on currency is urgent.
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