Evening star., 1943-04-04
Land Pressure May Decide
Spuin's Role
BIZ Frederic J. HaSkin.

18th year as the second Spanish re-
public, and on that anniversary many
believe Gen. Francisco Franco will make
some definite statement as to his coun-
conflict. Nothing definite could be
drawn from his recent utterances, but
he warned the world that the war could,
and probably would, last much longer
than is generally thought. His fight
unto-death' statement is characteristic
of the Spanish people, and therefore re-
vealed nothing new, but it would be Of
great Importance should Spain enter the
war on either side.
The reasons are obvious why both tho
Axis and the Allies are interested in
some definite decision from Spain. If
and when such decision is made, 1t will
without doubt be in the hope of some
territorial expansion for SPANS teem-
| ing millions which occupy such limited
| space. For although 24o00OOO people,
II years ago, decreed against a King and
| turned their backs on old Spain no new
| territory was added. Moreover, the new
| Spain carries with it the same internal
| problems, and during the intervening
| years full solution to these has not
| been found
That which has persisted for cen-
| turles cannot be erased in decade. So,
| fundamentally it is the struggle of old
| SPAN, the Spain of Isabella and Ferdi-
| nand and the conquistadores and the
holy office of the Inquisition, against the
new SPAIN the pushing, vigorous Spain
| OF trade and industry and free speech
and militant labor In many respects
the situation parallels that in Russia in
1917, and in Italy before Mussolini But
IN Spain the struggle takes on a pecu-
| Narly picturesque cast.
For many years one outstanding ques-
ton has placed itself squarely before the
rulers OF Spain. This question is the
land system, which has to do with the
nations stomach Of Spains 24,000O0O
people, tWo-tllrds live directly off the
land, while the rest depend to large e3-
tent upon it. Spain is not very large
country and it is rich only in certain
zones. Its richest provinces are almost
concentrated in a very few hands, and
these estates are cultivated with rare
exceptions, by primitive methods involv-
ing great waste Of effort and limited
production. Rich soil is often used for
pasture, while poor lands in other re-
glons are divided and redivided into such
small fractions that each can no longer
| support even a single family
About three-fOurths of all land in
Spain is held in large estate. while the
rest is split up into small pieces and
squeezed for every fruit and grain. The
large estates, as rule. are rented in
small portions, and these are rented in
still smaller subdivisions, so that each
acre must produce one or more rents,
| interest on one or more mortgages, as we'll
as profit to the farmer and some kind
OF wage to the hired hands who make
up the bulk of the farming population.
The land is usually mortgaged for all
1t will bear in value and the small farm
ers are always deeply in debt. Thus when
hard times come they wipe out many
OF the small farmers and tend to con-
centrate the land into still larger tracts,
and to throw more and more of the land
into pasture or convert it to other nom
farming purposes.
True enough, since the countrys civil
war the new Spain has been able to make
some progress in changing this condition,
but the effort has made only small dent
in the need. The basic reason has been
the poverty of the whole country that
| obviously came in the wake of its long
and bloody civil strife. The situation is
comparable to the reconstruction days of
the South following the close of the War
Between the States in this country Even
with an abundance of land and natural
resources the South did not begin to pull
cut Of its chaotic condition until more
than 25 years after the conflict ended
Pressure of the land explains much Of
the history of Spain. 1t was behind the
irresistible push of CASTLE, a former
kingdom of Spain, driving the Moors to
Africa and the Indians in America to the
farthest sierras Migration and conquest
supplied the value that kept the feudal
system alive the longest Hence the
StCody Stitdill lIldG dllllOSl uepOpuldLeQ
Spain in the 18th century, and that fed
America continuously with the strongest
and most enterprising Spanish stock. In
return Spain was supported by America
and the mother country leaned so heavily
that her weight became ntolerable
Each colony lost was a double-turn of
painful tOurniquet, for it closed an
escape and cut off income. And each
loss therefore, increased the pressure
and precipitated revolt.
A country so organized that it cannot
support its population usually must eX-
pand, reorganize or explode. Spain has
contracted. She has tried to reorganize
after each warning explosion, but reor-
| ganization means the destruction of the
| feudal-colonlal system that Is the bed
rock of old Spain, and the naughty.
handsome and careless descendants OF
Isabella's stanchest lords cannot see WHY
things should not go along as they always
have or, in any case, why they should be
bothered about it.
Every Spaniard, however, is worthy OF
study. He treasures his women, his
honor and his soul Honor means physi-
cal courage regardless, of the odds:
| willingness to match himself against
one man or so. His family is large and
| devout, and he himself is self-centered,