Evening star., 1938-12-30
Gen. Franco Is Held
Hostile to Catholics
Denies Spanish LoyoIists
Are Controlled by
Communists
70 the Editor Of The stI

TO the Editor Of The Star:
have read with both interest and
amusement the many letters which have
question in The Star and the Post from
the pen of the Rev. Joseph F. Thorning,
Phi. D., of Mount st. Mary's College,
Emmitsburg. Md. His answer dated De-
cember 8, to Mr.. Guy Emory Shipler,
editor of the Churchman is in point.
The amusing features therein are: l.
His continued emphasis on the so-called
Red" government of the Spanish re-
public. 2-His disdainful references to
the Basque priests. 3-His sighting at
titude toward the some 10 per cent of
the American people who believe in the
democracy of the Spanish government.
His style of supporting his argument
by referring to the renowned" Mr..
So-and-So.
l. The Spanish Cortes contains some
500 members. At no time did it have
more than 16 Communist members, nor
have there been more than two Com
munists in the Spanish cabinet at any
one time. Certainly Rev. DR.. Thorning,
If he really knows anything about the
Spanish government, knows this to be
true. The French government has a
much larger proportion of Communists
than the Spanish government, and has
had for some time. Why does he not
attack it, too?
2. The Basque priests! Rev. DR..
Thorning says that when the leftist
Sympathizers mention Basque priests as
among the friends Of Red" government
in Spain they fail to add that these
priests are suspended from the exercises
Of ecclesiastical functions and con-
sequently are not in good standing in
the Catholic Church. He says they were
suspended 'for one reason or another" !"
but he fails to go further. He fails to tell
the actual cause Of their disaffection.
A coadjutor of Rev. DR.. Thorning, His
Eminence Isidro Cardinal Coma y Tomas.
Archbishop of Toledo and Primate Of
Spain, tries to explain the reason why
13 Basque priests came under the firing
squad OF Franco, why the general i'm
prisoned lit and exiled 1876 other priests
IN the Basque country. He states they
were suffering from an alteration"
which he deplores because a priest
should not descend from that level of
holiness" Holiness" of course, in this
case is adherence to the Franco cause.
3. The 70-some per cent of Americans
who favor the Loyaist government con-
tains many Of the most intellectual
Catholics of this country. Such men as
Jay Allen, well-known American news
paperman, who has spent much time in
Spain; Frank P. Walsh of the New York
Power Authority; Prof. Francis M. Shea,
dean of the University Law School, Buf-
falo, and host Of others, which host
is increasing rapidly.
Two documents giving startling proof
as to Frances activities have appeared !:
''The Basque Problem" by DR.. A. de
Azpilikoeta, now being circulated in this
country by the Basque government dele
cation, and "A Diary Of My Times" by
the French Catholic novelist, George
Bernanos. In the former Cardinal Coma
Tomas is seen defending the execution
of priests by General Franco on the
grounds that he is Saving Spain for
Christianity"
OF the many documentary proofs OF
crime committed by the rebel authori-
ties against priests and others is the
book entitled Seven Months and Seven
Days in Franco Spain," written by the
Catholic priest, Don 1gnacio de Aberri-
goyen. He states unequivocally that lists
containing the names of people marked
for assassination had been compiled by
the conspirators, of whom Franco was
the leader, before the outbreak of the
revolt, and even before February 16, 1886,
the date of the Popular Front electoral
victory. Don 1gnacio de Aberrigoyen
states also that many Catholic priests
in the Basque country were murdered
and imprisoned. merely because they
were active partisans Of the republican
cause.
ELMER E. ROGERS.
norovohor %