The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-09-25

ngnung poten-
TALLY. However, 1t has a good bit
TO offer in the way Of supplies that
the Axis may presently need very
badly. 1t has plenty OF cattle and
sheep, fair supply Of grain and
lots OF coal and other minerals.
And it's accessible to both Ger
many and Italy overland,
through France, now that the lat
ter is vanquished, so that Britain's
superiority ahoat can't signify as
to this particular alignment, If it's
effected. True, overland shipments
out of Spain are a trifle incon-
venient to handle, because the
Spanish rail gauge is wider than
the rest Of Europe's, except Rus
sia's. Consequently everything has
TO be unloaded and reloaded at the
frontier. That's a nuisance, but a
nuisance merely.
Caudillo Franco naturally In
clines TO be friendly toward Ger
many and Italy. They helped him
to overthrow the Spanish repubn-
can government which preceded
his own. Italy aided him with
many Italian soldiers; Germany
mainly with war materials.
Russia, though, was on the
Spanish republicans side. Franco
hates Stain. There's a rift In the
lutte, II the Communists are to be
considered as one corner of
totalitarian alliance.
Not So Altruistic
II appears, too. that Caudillo
Franco isn't so grateful to even
Fuehrer Hitler ara Duce Musso--
lini as to 90 into cahoots with
them unless he's promised some
thing out OF the bargain likewise.
The report is that he asks for
the British fortress of Gibraltar,
at the western end Of the Medi-
terranean, and for the big French
island OF Madagascar, off the east
African coast. IN short, FL Caud-
lilo wants to re-transform Spain
into the first class power that 1t
once was, and he himself wants to
be absolute boss of it.
OF course, Hitler and Mussolini
can agree TO these terms but they
can't deliver the goods unless they
lick Britain.
If the British win they certainly
will keep Gibraltar and it's equally
certain that they won't turn over
Madagascar to the Axis to dispose
Of to Franco or anybody else.
For that matter, It's well known
that Italy covets Gibraltar. 1t
aims to control both ends OF the
Mediterranean-"one sea, as the
italians call 1t. Mussolini may join
Hitler in a pledge to surrender
Glib to FL Caudillo, but IL they
ever get possession of the rock,
the best betting is that they'll
euchre the Spanish out Of 1t at the
final settlement. In such an event,
it's no cinch, diplomats say, that
the Fuehrer and the Duce them
selves won't fall to quarreling
over IT,
I'll Caudillo Franco
Be all that as it may, Francisco
Franco has become prominent Of
late. His designation. Eel Caudillo,"
is the Spanish equivalent of the
German Der Fuehrer," or the
Italian II luce"
It's pronounced like this-"Cow-
dee-yo" The accents on the mid
die sylla,'7 Anybody can see with
half an eye that "El" means "the."
Fl Caudillo's chief negotiator Is
his brother-in-law, Ramon Serrano
suner. Ramon is SPANS minister
Of the Interior, but he's gone in for
foreign affairs. He's in a class
now with Germany's Foreign Min
lister Won Ribbentrop and Musso-
linrs son-ln-law, Count Ciano. In
this country we'd call that in-law
business nepotlsn. There isn't any
Of It in Won Ribbentrop's case,
however. Won simply was a trav-
cling wine salesman.
But, in the light Of current de-
veiopments, we ought to get ac-
quainted' with Ramon S. Suner.
Over the m in his last name is
a little jigger known as a tide
I There's no such character in Eng
lish type faces, but it influences
the pronunciation. Ramon's last
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