Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-01
Serrono Suner Confers
With Duce in Rome

oOuI Cto utCldItu lUQdy tlldI lIIlIue.
diate Spanish entry into the Euro
pean war was not an issue at
conferences started this morning
between Premier Mussolini and
Generalissimo Francisco Frances
minister of government, Ramon
Serrano Suner..
Italo-German friendship for
Spain, it was said, will not permit
any pressure on Spain to step into
an active part in the war.
The Rome talks, started this
morning, were said to have "a very
important aim-already reached-of
reinforcing, clarifying and making
precise the identity of views between
the Nationalist Spain of Generals
simo Franco and the two victorious
axis powers"
The source added that England
probably would shout victory" and
say that Spain resisted axis pres
sure" but that no such pressure had
been brought to bear.
The Spanish envoy reached Rome
at 10 am. from Berlin, where he
had conferred with Adolf Hitler and
other NaZi leaders. He saw Musso-
lini shortly after arriving, and their
first talk was finished at 1885 pm.
Serrano Suner then went to lunch
with Italian Foreign Minister Count
Galeazzo Ciano.
Formal Alliance Discounted.
Foreign observers said they be-
lieves Sarrano Suner and Premier
Mussolini would put the final touch
es to an understanding defining
SPANS part in Italian-German
plans to conquer Gibraltar, but
Fascists discounted the possibility
of a formal alliance at the present
time.
In general the Fascist press re-
fected a belief that Spain could
be used in the axis scheme as a
base for attack on Gibraltar with
out entering into an outright mill
tary alliance.
II Popolo di Roma declared Spain
already is in the political system"
of the axis powers and added:
"Spain's position as 1t will re-
main for the present is that of be-
ing vigilant and watchful over all
that happens in the European
world, ready at the opportune mo-
ment to use her rights and achieve
even with arms her aspirations"
The right moment" was believed
bv foreign circles to refer to the
time when Britain's collapse would
appear imminent, for it is generally
agreed that Spain is incapable of
fighting a protracted war so soon
after emerging from her devitalizing
civil war.
To Use SPANS Friendship.
II Messaggero said the Italians
certainly could use SPANS friend
ship in the axis service-which was
taken by some neutral observers as
a reference to SPANS importance as
stepping stone for an attack on
Gibraltar.
Capture of Gibraltar generally
was regarded by neutral military
experts as necessary to success of
the Italian campaign in Africa.
Occupation of French Morocco by
the axis partners was envisioned as
the next possible step if they gained
control over the western entrance
to the Mediterranean.
Serrano Suner comes here after
10 days in Berlin. marked by in
tense activity on the part of axis
statesmen and the signing Friday OF
the n-Italian-Japanese ALI
ance.
After the Spanish ENJOYS arrival
in the Nazi capital German Foreign
Minister Joachim Won Ribbentrop
hurried here for two-day confer
ence with Premier Mussolini and
then sped back to Berlin, followed
by Count Ciano, for Fridays cere-
monies and further conferences.
Army Leaders Consulted.
Nazi army leaders sat in on the
talks which Serrano Suner figured,
adding fuel to speculation that mat
tiers vital to the axis war plans were
being discussed.
Fascists declared the Berlin talks
had led to complete Qualification of
all problems concerning the common
interests" of the thee nations.
Commenting ON the conferences,
the authoritative Fascist editor, Vir-
ginio Gayda, frankly mentioned
Gibraltar as one of the vital, con-
crete problems" facing Spain, whose
dreams of again becoming world
power, he said, hav' the sympathy
of both Italy and Germany.
There have peen numerous dem
onstrations in Spain since the start
of the war for return of Gibraltar.
The campaign received the indorse-
ment of Gaperallisslmo Franco July
II, when he declared in an address
in Madrid it was "the duty and mis-
sion of his regime to regain Gibral-
tar and expand Spanish influence In
Africa.