The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-25
WASHINGTON
REPORT
By r p. STEWART
Central Press Columnist

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24.-Diplomats are
considerably interested by indications of a
hook-up between Europe's Axis dictators,
Fuehrer Hitler and Duce Mussolini, and Caud-
lilo Franco, down in Spain.
Army and navy men also take notice Of the
development. To be sure, Spain still is too fiat
on its back, from the effects Of its recent civil
war to amount to much as a fighting poten-
TALLY. However, it has a good bit to offer in
the way Of supplies that the Axis may present
ly need very badly. It has plenty of cattle and
sheep, a fair supply Of grain and lots of coal
and other minerals. And it's accessible to both
Germany and Italy overland, through France,
now that the latter is vanquished. so that Brit
ans superiority afloat can't signify as to this
particular alignment, if it's effected. Tue,
overland shipments out Of Spain are a trifle
mconvenient to handle, because the Spanish
rail- gauge is wider than the rest of Europe's,
except Russia's. Consequently everything has
to be unloaded and reloaded at the frontier.
that's a nuisance, but a nuisance merely.
Caudluo Franco naturally inclines to be
friendly toward Germany and Italy. They
can government which preceded his own. Italy
aided him with many Italian soldiers Ger
many mainly with war materials.
Russia, though, was on the Spanish republi-
cans side. Franco hates Stain. There's a
rift in the lutte, if the Communists are to be
considered as one corner of a totalitarian al
lance.
o SO ALTRUISTIC
II appears, too, that Caudillo Franco isn't SO
grateful to even Fuehrer Hitler and Duce Mus.
sollnl as to 60 into cahoots with them unless
he's promised something out of the bargain
likewise.
The report is that he asks for the British
fortress OF Gibraltar, at the western end of the
Mealterranean, and for the big French island
OF Madagascar, off the East African coast. In
snort, FL Caudillo wants to re-transform Spain
mo the first class power that it once was,
ana ne himself wants to be absolute boss of il.
OF course, Hitler and Mussolni can agree to
these terms but they can't deliver the goods
unless they lick Britain.
II ue British win they certainly will keep
Gibraltar and it's equally certain that thew
won't turn over Madagascar to the Axis to dis.
pose OF to Franco or anybody else.
For that matter, it's well known that Italy
covets Gibraltar. It aims to control both ends
OF the Medlterranean-'our sea-" as the Ital.
lans call 1t. Mussolini may join Hitler in a
pledge to surrender Glib to Ell Caudillo, but
II they ever get possession of the rock, the
best betting is that they'll euchre the Spanish
out OF it at the final settlement. In such an
event, it's no cinch, diplomats say, that the
Fuehrer and the Duce themselves won't fall
to quarreling over it.
0A NAODAAAO MANU-
BE all that as it may, Francisco Franco
has become prominent of late. His designa.
ton. lei Caudillo," is the Spanish equivalent
OF the German Der Fuehrer,' or the Italian
accents on the middle syllable. Anybody can
see with halt an eye that "EI' means 'the."
III Duce.'
It's pronounced like thiS-'Cow-dee-yo." The
Ell Caudillo's chief negotiator is his brother.
ln-laW. Ramon Serrano Suner. Ramon is
SPANS minister of the interior, but he's gone
In Tor foreign affairs. He's in a class now with
Gemany's Foreign Minister Won Ribbentrop
and Mussolini's son-in-law, Count Ciano. In
this country we'd call that in-law business nep.
otisln. There isn't any of it in Won Ribben-
trop's case, however. Won simply was a trav-
cling wine salesman.
But, in the light of current developments,
we ought to get acquainted with Ramon S.
Suner. Over the ''n' in his last name is a
little jigger known as a tide. There's no such
character in English type faces, but it in
fluences the pronunciation. Ramon's last name
sounds like ~'Soon-yayr.", The accent is on the
second syllable and the "a' is like ''a' in
hay" Then there's the 'r'' sound at the end
of it.
Count Ciano's name is similarly deceptive.
It's thus-"Chee-ah-no." Accent on the second
syllable. l
The wood used for the sounding board of a
piano and some of the parts is seasoned in
the open air from three to five years.
Insects have the most powerful muscles OF
any animals Of their size.
The first lightning rod in the world was set
up by Benjamin Franklin in 1852.