The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-02-23

tie the western hemispherical eoun-
tries tightly together.
II was raid. it's argued, that
was calculated 10 prove to them all
how much nearer TO them war ac-
Invites are than maybe they be-
lieved them 10 be.
It's true that the mainland was
not attacked and Aruba Is Dutch,
not Latia-Americ2A. Nevertheless
the thrust was right into a Latin
American pond, In entire disregard
Of Hhat the Latins might think Of
&C. Moreover Aruba's big industry
Is the refinement OF Latin Ameri-
can oil and 1t isn't deemed likely
that the Latins viii approve OF the
notion of having one Of their i'm
portsnt products bombed in transit
to customers who ere due 10 pay
them well for 1t. Finally. one Of the
.orpedoed tankers was Venezuelan
Its owners must be exceptional folk
if they didn't resent having 1t fred
on.
The outrage occurred. too, at
kind Of a fortunate juncture.
Not many days previously eau
dillo Francisco Franco Of Spain, {
warm friend. though not yet an
actual ally OF Herr Hitler and Sig
nor Mussolini, had predicted that
at least 100000 Spaniards would
volunteer to fight for the Nazis II
there seemed any danger Of their
defeat by the United Powers.
He May Be Right
II ism safe TO assert that Fran
cisco was wrong in hazarding this
guess.
Spain Is sharply divided. II has
a large element that Classics as
democratic or even more radically.
Another formidable element,
however. is and always has been
extremely hostile to proletarianism.
I'd have guessed that they'd d.
vide about $3.50. Grabbing at an
opportune moment, the proletari-
ans gained control of the Madrid
government, as republicans. They
were, In fact, considerably. more
pronounced than that and probably
overdid matters. Taking advantage
OF resultant dissatisfaction, Cen
eral Franco started a totalitarian
revolt. II was a doubtful civil war
and the general might not have
won Il but for the help he received
from Fuehrer Hitler and Duce
Mussolini. With their assistance,
though, he succeeded in overthrow
ing the so-called republic and slid
in as Caudillo.
Considering the evenness Of the
Spanish balance and his followers
Obligations to the Nazis and Fas-
cists. it seems not improba bic that
the Caudillo didn't exaggerate in
saying that 100000 Of his crowd
would spring to the Axis aid in an
emergency.
The qualification is that, with the
draining off Of 10000 900 OF his to-
talitarians for service in the AXIS
fields Of action, SPANS alleged re-
pUblicans almost certainly would
take the warpath again in Spain
itself, and maybe dispose Of eau
dillo Franco. who would be pretty
short-handed TO deal with them,
minus his absentee million.
Inspired by Hitler.
The suspicion here il, though,
that Francisco emitted his blast,
not so much because il meant any
thing, as because he was inspired
by Herr Hitler to DO It, for the sake
Of its hoped-for influence in Latin
America.
The Axis fifth columnists' con-
rubiations haven't been very elfec-
tive there.
The Germans among the new
world Latins, are numerous in
spots, but they and the Latins don I
harmonic well; they're too different
from one another The Italians har-
monte, but they do it too COM
pletely; they don't stay Italian;
they become localized. The Japs
remain Jappier than even the Ger
mans remain German.
The Axis theory evidently Is that
what an outstanding Spaniard says
VIII count more with Spanish.
Americans than all anybody else
car say. including the Yankees and
all others. This NAV not be true II