Evening star., 1941-05-10
(LdSt OF a SerieS.)
By JOHN T. WHITAKER,

BY JOHN T. WHITAKER,
Foreisn Correspondent of The Star and
Chicago Daily News
SOMEWHERE IN EUROPE.-At
least three times since New Years
the Germans have asked Gen. Fran
cisco Franco to bring Spain into the
war, your correspondent learns on
good authority. In each instance,
the Spanish dictator stalled Un-
less there is some unexpected count
erstroke to German victories, Spain
cannot decline when Hitler repeats
his request for the fourth and final
time.
If Hitler sweeps the board in
Egypt and closes the Suez Canal he
will then want guns and airplanes
around Gibraltar in order to block
that Mediterranean exit to the
British feet. The rock itself is too
formidable to be taken in much less
than six months, but the straits can
be virtually closed by German guns.
planes and submarines based on the
Spanish and African shores.
Success at Suez will be the signal
then for the invasion of the Iberian
peninsula and the cumulative pres
tige of German arms in that event
will surely sweep the French. the
Spaniards and the Portuguese into
the German camp. Failure at Suez
would be equally important, how
ever, for if the British proved in
vulnerable in the Eastern A1editer-
ranean Hitler would feel compelled
to strike at fleet power In the west
ern reaches of that sea just as he
would feel that he ought to extend
African bases against North and
South America.
Invasion by July l Seen.
1t seems likely. therefore, that the
Iberian peinsula will be invaded
between now and July /. What
happens as Hitler strikes at Suez
and drives for Iraq oil will be de-
cisive, but only as regards the time
table. Whether France and Spain
invite him in or not Hitler will feel
compelled to sweep toward Glpral-
tar, in the opinion Of most observers.
Military necessity will force Hitler
to act and unless there Is some un-
expected counterstroke such as
American entry into the war, the
Spaniards, like Frenchmen and
Portuguese, will welcome the in
vaders.
In three times refusing passage to
the Germans, Gen. Franco and the
Spanish generals who support him
are neither pro-British nor dubious
of ultimate German victory. They
know almost nothing of the world
beyond Spain and they are care
fully propagandized by the 1000
odd German agents who flock the
drawing rooms of Madrid. 1t is
merely that they want to come into
the war at the last moment because
they fear revolution from a war
weary and anti-Nazi proletariat
should they repeat Premier Musso-
lini's blunder and come in too soon.
Ramon Serrano Suner, Gen
Frances brother-in-law, heads the
Falangista group which has wanted
to come in each time that Hitler
has requested Spanish cooperation
Serrano Suner told diplomats in
Madrid-and it is no indiscretion to
repeat it-that he believed in, de-
sired and worked for German victory
"a German victory in which Spain
would have a share This sums up
his policy and the policy of his
party. 1t also explains his unpopu-
larity with the Spanish public, which
faces starvation, breads war and
loathes the thought of a further in
vasion by foreigners. Against his
excesses Gen. Franco has stood firm
with the support of all of the mid
dle-of- f-the-road elements in Spain.
First Request Diplomatic.
Hitler's first request at New Year
was diplomatic. He wanted to place
his dive-bombers and supporting
ground forces around Gibraltar and
in Spanish Morocco. Gen. Franco
refused with devious diplomacy
Spain was pro-German and nom
belligerent rather than neutral. but
Portugal was an ally of Great
Britain, he pointed out. The Ibe-
rian peninsula had to be thought
of as an entity and Spanish action
had to be synchronized, moreover
with the action of the Italians and
the French. He thought there ought
to be time for further evolution
of opinion in Portugal, where people
still believe in British victory.
In mid-February Hitler's second
request was almost peremptory. The
time had come for Gen. Franco to
fulfill the obligation incurred during
his revolt. He warned the Spaniard
that 300 bombers and three mech
anized divisions stood on the Span
ish frontier. He wanted airdromes
for those planes and passage through
for those three divisions. He implied
that they were strong enough to go
through whether Gen. Franco
agreed or not. The Spaniard talked
about starvation and the danger
of revolt and guerrilla activities.
Neither bluff impressed Hitler and
Gen. Franco reminded the German
that his formula for the Spanish
people remained one of defending
the country's territorial integrity.
These exchanges took place at a
moment when Hitler had to carry
through the occupaion Of Sicily