Spain and Security
The one emotion that the word Spain seems incapable of stirring is that of impatience—impatience that this matter should be taking up so much valuable time. The Security Council of the United Nations has spent many hours on the Polish resolution that diplo- matic relations with Franco's Government should be broken off on the ground that it has led to international friction and endangered international peace. Ten of the eleven members, including Dr. Lange, of Poland, who raised the matter, but excluding Mr. Gromyko, who abstained, have now agreed to set up a Committee of five to inquire into the actual effect of the Franco regime on the inter- national situation and to suggest action, if necessary. It is very difficult to praise or blame this decision. Blame is best reserved for the initial step which brought the question before the Security Council at this time. What good could it do? Dislike and distrust of Franco's Government are universal and unanimous, but no useful purpose is served by proposals to take immediate action against it. That way lies not unanimity, but inevitable disagreement. Even a committee of inquiry cannot make a very useful positive contri- bution. The facts are known and opinions are set. Outside inter- ference can only strengthen Franco's position inside Spain, as the recent three-Power pronouncement showed. And to regard him as an international menace is to ignore the fact that he has no outside support and to forget that Hitler and Mussolini are dead. General Franco is a nuisance, and the more other countries quarrel about him the bigger the nuisance becomes. In the long run his regime cannot be tolerated, but until the Spaniards themselves act on that simple truth there is little other people can do except remain alert and powerful.
