Evening star., 1946-04-30
Propaganda in Spain
Seen Russians Aim
Refusal to Vote on Franco Probe
Reveals Strategy, Says Writer
BY David Laurence

heveais otTrateey' oays writer
By David Laurence
There is more reinsurance in Russias
unWillingness to use her veto powersin
the United Nations Security Council
than anything the Russians have done
since the sessions began.
The Soyiets have had it in their
power to block altogether the proposed
investigation of the Franco regime. De-
cision to abstain from voting indicates
clearly that the Russians are well versed
in parliamentary strategy and that they
intend to carry on their worldwide pub
licity through the medium of the United
Nations Security Council without at the
same time supporting certain of its
actions.
Much is to be learned from the Rus
sian tactics. The Soviets started out to
persuade the governments of the United
Nations to break relations with Spain,
but they are content with a propaganda
campaign aimed at Franco.
BY abstaining from voting the Rus
slams accomplished their purpose, which
was to place the United Nations Secur-
ity Council on record as virtually con-
demning the Franco regime but at the
same time serving notice that the issue
is by no means disposed of and would
come up again for action when the in
vestigation is concluded.
Infiltration Methods.
The Russian plan, of course, Is to
stimulate Communism inside Spain with
the hope that if the Franco regime
topples, Spain will become communistic.
The Communists in France have been
seeking the upper hand, too. and they
are the ones who have been trying to
force the French government into
breaking relations with Spain.
AS matter of fact, the Russians are
making considerable progress in getting
Communist parties started in various
foreign countries These methods of in
filtration differ very little from those
which the Nazis carried on in pre-war
days, and the surprising thing is that
the French people have not learned
their lesson when they allow foreign
governments to exercise influence on
their internal politics.
Great Britain and the United States
have no sympathy for Franco. but they
are in the awkward position of not
wishing to hand Spain over to commu-
nism. Both London and Washington
have been trying for some time to get
Franco out, with the hope that sue
cessor regime would be a compromise
between the left and the right, and
thus avoid another civil war in Spain.
| But the Russians have been adamant
in their efforts to give the left-wing
complete dominance in the situation
! even if it means another civil war in
| Spain.
| One shudders to think what the Soviets
would do with any Americans or British
| who attempted to get inside Russia and
start democratic party there to oppose
! the Stain government. Yet, the same
Soviets do not hesitate for a moment to
intrude in the internal politics of the
| democracies.
Active in Latin America.
There are evidences that the Soviets
are active in Chile, Cuba and other
! South American countries. Their
strategy is to stir up 'left-wing" move
ments wherever they can. This is by
no means affecting the policy of the
! United States and Britain. In fact, Of
| it were not for these two countries, the
Franco regime would have collapsed be-
| fore this. Whatever support the Franco
regime has gotten from British and
! American diplomacy has come about as
a direct consequence of the Soviets'
extreme tactics.
All through the world the Soviets are
trying to introduce communism first as
a minority party and then later as a
majority party. Whenever elections are
to be held which might 60 contrary to
the communistic plan, there is always a
demand for postponement. Where it is
believed the Communists can win, there
is an urgency to hold the elections at
! once. Thus, in Japan, the Japanese
Communists have not sufficient strength
and hence the Russians have been try
ing to postpone the elections.
All this is plain to see from the dis
| patches day by day, but what is most
puzzling is that the Russians think the
other governments of the world are not
observing these tactics. There is hardly
country in Europe where communistic
influence has not entered the political
party situation. Even in Great Britain
the Communists are trying to inflltrate
into the British Labor party and Prime
Minister Attlee has rejected any pro-
posals that the Communists be admitted
to his Labor party.
All in all, the clash between COM
munism and democracy is being intensi-
fed rather than diminished in various
countries of the world.
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