Imperial Valley press., 1939-04-06
France And
Gibraltar
Nv CHARLES p. STEWART


No sooner had Gen. Frances
forces occupied Madrid than Brit
ish Gibraltar took alarm. Ine
Franco-ites. it seems Immediately
began a throwing up OF delenseS
along Gibraltar's edge III a very
peculiar way. That is, are they III
tended for defensive purposes
alone? Or do they contemplate an
attempted grab of this historic
stronghold OF John Bull? Here's
a fresh headache for the London
government in particular, but in
general for whatever else remains
of the peace-loving world. If it
forecasts move by the new Span
ish government TO gain posses
sion of the famous rock at the
western end of the Mediterranean
it means trouble compared with
which the juSt-ending war on the
Iberian peninsula will seem like
potatoes. Not that Franco signifies.
But if he really plans the capture
of that little corner of Spain, it
necessarily follows that he has
Italy back of him, and Germany
back of Italy. 1t starts the threat
ened all-around European war, in
short.
That Mussolini planned the early
acquisition of Gibraltar wasn't an
ticipated. He wants it, of course,
to give him complete control of the
inland sea. Nevertheless, it wasn't
imagined that he'd act so soon.
Supposing that that's his scheme,
it's much as if some potentially
hostile power were to begin oper-
ations toward possession of the
Panama Canal. Britain couldn't
stand it for a minute-not even the
threat.
Bowers in Spotlight
Claude Bowers, Yankee ambaS-
sador to pre-war Spain, is back in
Washington now. Naturally the
state department has questioned
him. But Claude doesn't know. He
was sent to Madrid when things
were peaceful. He thought he had
nice assignment. Instead he's
spent most of his time during the
last two years on the French side
of the Franco Spanish frontier.
Too many bombs were dropping
around the u S. embassy in Ma
drid TO make it a desirable place
to stay. And anyway, nobody sur
missed that Gibraltar would be in
volved in the mess.
Nor has it been involved thus
far. Now, though, it's scared. We
don't know yet how justifiably. All
the same, the situation looks bill
ious. Civil war in Spain Is one
thing A fight for Gibraltar be-
tween the British on one side, and
Franco-iStic Spain, supported by
Italy, and pre-suported by Ger
many on the other side, is some
thing else again.
Maybe Claude Bowers couldn't
have been expected to visualize all
that. He can't be blamed. Nobody
foresaW the Gibraltar angle.
Benito Mussolinis strategy is easy
enough TO understand.
The Mediterranean has two ends.
The eastern end is at the Suez
Canal. He already has said that he
wants a voice in control of that
end. What he means is that he
wants sole control. Gibraltar con-
trolls the western end. With these
two controls, Italy controls the
Mediterranean as effectively as the
United States controls the Great
Lakes, from Duluth to the Thou
sand Islands.
Italy Hasn't Got En-
But Italy hasn't got 'em. Possibly
it has something of a mortgage on
Suez, but not on Gibraltar. It's in
conceivable that it won't have to
fight for that. Djibouti and vicini-
ty are discussable with France, but
not Gibraltar, with the British
That would be as reasonable as a
totalitarian discussion between Mr.
Bull and his neighbors over theii
respective claims TO suzerainity
concerning Fleet Street, London.
The Mediterranean is very SEN
sitive subject with Britain, at best
1t can get to India that way only
except around the Cape of Coco
Hope. 1t isn't going TO give any
body much authority over Suez,
none at all over Gibraltar. Still, il
corked up at Suez, it can get ir
through the Gibraltar back dool
and raise the roof But bottle it uL
!.