Evening star., 1943-04-18
frances Peace Dove

1t Is difficult to assess the signifi-
canoe of the peace feeler which has
been put out by General de Jordana,
Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The Ministers fifteen minute ad-
dress, delivered on the occasion of
the 450th anniversary of Columbus
return from the New World, is under
stood to have been approved by Gen.
eralissimo Francisco Franco, and
thus to represent the official attitude
Of his government. Carefully
phrased, it is cautious in tone and
contains no specific suggestions for
the peace settlement which it
advocates.
Nevertheless, the general idea is
clear enough. General Jordana urges
the need of speedy peace for Europe
to avoid terrible revolutionary con-
vulsions at the end of the war" He
reiterates the thesis, often expressed
by his government, that Communism
is worldwide menace whose spread
will be favored by continuance of
the present struggle. Appealing to
anti-Communist sentiment in Eu-
rope, and probably in Latin America
as we'll. the Minister says that the
Communist "tentacles envelop all
countries and continents. There can
be no illusions among those geo.
graphically distant that they can be
sheltered from its devastating ef-
fects." Invoking the collaboration of
the Pope, he goes on to argue Spain's
qualifications to act as mediator in
what obviously would be a compro-
mise settlement and makes it known
that the Franco government stands
ready to offer its services to that end.
What is behind this mediation'of-
fer? Did it originate with the Spanish
government, or does it represent the
opening gun in a diplomatic peace
offensive prepared in Berlin, which
many qualified observers here and in
Britain have been expecting for some
time? 1t is too soon to say with GER
tainty. There can be scant doubt
that. as the war is now going, COM
promise settlement would best suit
the interests of the Franco govern
ment. The Caudillo must know that
the Axis cannot win the war, and
that Herewith all hopes of gaining
Gibraltar and French Morocco. which
he may once have entertained as re-
wards for joining the Axis, must be
renounced But a complete defeat
of the Axis threatens the Franco
government in Spain itself. Even
though Britain and America should
hold aloof from Spain's internal af-
fairs, the theological climate which
will prevail in Europe after a United
Nations victory would render pre-
cariouS the continuance of a govern
ment founded on Fascist principles
and in close sympathy with the Axis.
Furthermore, it is unlikely that a
triumphant Soviet Union. occupying
major seat at the peace table, would
tolerate the existence anywhere in
Europe of regime that has con-
sistently declared Red Russia it's
deadly enemy and has sent armed
forces to fight on the eastern front.
Franco and his colleagues thus
have every reason to try and avert a
situation politically fatal to them
selves. Yet the general pattern OF
continental diplomacy indicates that
Madrid is working in close collabo-
ration with Berlin and Rome. Axis
propaganda is striving desperately to
mobilize sentiment in neutral and oc-
cupied countries for negotiated
peace by playing on two sentiments
fear of Communism and fear of the
devastation which an all-out Allied
invasion of the continent might en-
tail. Such fears undoubtedly exist
in Europe, though we do not know
how widespread they may be, be-
cause we are out of touch with the
continent and have singularly little
exact information as to the evolu-
ton of public opinion there during
the past three years.
Meanwhile, official Washington and
London maintain a tight-lipped
silence on the suspicious-looking
peace dove released at Barcelona.
Our State Department significantly
recalls President Roosevelts declara-
ton at the Casablanca conference
for unconditional surrender of the
Axis. There is no likelihood that
either Allied government will modify
in the least that inflexible decision.