Evening star., 1947-03-02
Spain Split
Over Juan
Many Fear Change
Would Lead to
Strife
By Constantine Byoyn
star roreien Affairs Analyst.

Generalissimo Francisco Franco wa.
urged by his generals and politica
advisers to hand the reins Of govern.
ment over to an interim regim,
which, in turn, was to call to tn.
throne Don Juan, the pretender VIII,
has been biding his time in Portugal
These men, all devoted friends o.
Ell Caudillo, pointed out to him tha
Spain must re-enter the communit!
of nations and could no longer affort
to be ostracized.
Gen. Franco listened to thei
arguments and replied:
"As you all know, am a royals
and have always been one. But d.
you really want king whose fat.
will depend on vote in the Cortes
like King George of Greece?
"How long do you imagine oul
people would permit such a situa.
ton to continue? How long woule
it be before rival political group!
started making capital of the situa.
ton?
You know the Spanish people a.
we'll as I do. You know that il
would not be long before even tht
strongly royalist Basques would bt
finding fault, and before a year il
over the army would have to be
called in to suppress another revolu.
tion."
No Lightning Decisions.
The argument appears to have
taken effect. The generals ano
politicians who called on Gen
Franco agreed that it was too soor
to think about restoring Don Juar
to his ancestral throne.
Gen. Franco is man with certain
negative qualities, one CT them being
q reluctance to make decisions
Quickly. He has spent most of his
life in Spanish Morocco, where he
learned from Arab chieftains thai
''haste comes from the devil"
During the civil war Gen. Franco
is said to have driven the German
and Italian generals frantic with his
slowness to act. Perhaps he ha.
some Oriental strain in his blood
Perhaps he simply realizes that tht
Spaniards must be dealt with slowly
But even the most ardent royal
ists-the nobility, big businessmen
and rich industrialists, all of whom
object to the present Is per cen
income tax-agree that If rein
statement Of the monarchy woult
bring eventual internal disturb
ances, it is preferable to keep tht
present regime. .
OF similar opinion are the lib
erals-of whom there are many II
Spain-and these republicans wht
did not flee to France or Mexico
The country appears to be united
In one thought-that Gen. Franco
should relinquish his power soms
time in the future, but not at the
price of another revolution.
Suspect Foreign Powers.
After three years of devastating
civil war the people of Spain prefer
anything to another revolution
And they are convinced that there
are foreign powers which are JUS
waiting for a chance to fish ii
troubled Spanish waters.
The vested interests in Spain pre-
fer a monarchy because they be-
lieve they would fare better thar
under Gen. Franco. Spain need
credits to develop her industry ant
needs foreign markets for some o
her surpluses. The big bankers ant
industrialists seem convinced tha
the day the King returns to Madrit
and democratic" election /
rugged by his followers, Spain's eco
nomlc difficulties will disappear ant
foreign capital will start flowing
in once more.
They contend that the thing tina
frightens away foreign capital righ
now is not governmental regulation
but the fearsof another revolution
which would destroy any new in
vestments.
The question of reinstating Dol
Juan has been debated for loni
time by the military leaders. Excep
for those who believe they coult
dominate q king, most of them fee
that a monarchy is not likely t,
fare well.
Don Juan is liked personally b,
those who know him. He appear
strong physically, although there i
an unfortunate strain in his famil,
line. His eldest brother is a dea
mute, while another died of hemo
philia. To the masses of Spain Dol
Juan is but a name
Assuming that Don Juan has beR1
spared any hereditary weaknesses
1t is highly questionable whether /,
monarchy could survive for long Il
this country. King Alfonso XII
was overthrown because the Span
iards, in spite of their traditiona
and fundamental monarchism
found that the monarchy made to,
many mistakes and was too expen
sive a luxury. Monarchy has beei
banished from Spain for 16 year
now.
Don Juan's Obligations.
Many Spainards and foreigner
living here doubt that the monarch,
could be successfully replanted il
the hearts of the people. 1t is
historical axiom that expelled dy
nasties have seldom returned for an
length of time in any country. Their
is, too, the question of Don Juan
obligations to those who hav
worked for years for his enthrone
ment. Most of these men will wan
important positions in the govern
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