Evening star., 1950-08-03
The Political Mill
The Political Mill
Aid Voted Franco Spain
Is Jolt to Leftwingers
Senate Action Taken in Face
Of Opposition by Acheson
By Gould Lincoln

by 0OuiQ Lincoln
LeftwingerS took jolt in the Senate
Tuesday when that body voted IS to Is
to authorize 500 million assistance to
Spain. The idea of aiding Spain, under
the Franco government, has been anath-
ema for years in certain quarters in
this country. It has also been anathema
to Premier Stain of Soviet Russia. The
Communist hatred of the Franco govern
ment grew out of the defeat of the
Spanish republicans by Gen. Franco.
The republicans had the aid of the
Russian Communists, and Franco had
help from Nazi Germany and Fascist
Italy.
The vote in the Senate was taken in
the face of opposition from Secretary OF
State Acheson. The step, as matter Of
fact, was something new, with the Sen
ate undertaking to frame foreign policy
irrespective of the position of the execu
tive branch. What the ultimate outcome
will be remains to be seen. There Is
growing sentiment in Congress that this
country do something to build up Spain
both economically and militarily-as
potential ally in the event of third
World War-against the Russian Com
munists and their satellites. This, plus
tions, had great deal to do with the
Senate action. When the roll was called,
administration leaders as well as Re
publican Senators were found hocking to
support aid to Spain.
Victory for McCarran.
The Senate vote was a victory for
Senator McCarran Of Nevada, Democrat
a leader in the fight, and for Senator
ProwCfnT nf vyhn lod fho foI1
the Republican side The Democrats
when they woke up to the fact that the
Republicans were going to vote in large
numbers for the McCarran amendment
for Spanish aid-to the omnibus appro-
priation bill-got back of an amendment
to the McCarran amendment. offered
by Senator OMahoney of Wyoming,
himself a Democrat. The O'Mahoney
amendment, instead of taking 500 mil
lion out of the general ECA appropria-
ton, directs the ECA administrator to
sell notes to that amount to the Secre-
tary of the Treasury during the coming
year, the money to be used to assist
Spain.
The State Department takes the posi-
tion that this kind of aid to Spain under
the Franco government, disliked by the
Labor government in England and the
government of France and other West
European nations, might cause resent
ment on the part Of those governments
at time when we want their fullest CO.
operation. Senators argued, on the other
hand, that Spain would be a tremen-
dously valuable ally, lying as she docs
at the entrance into the Mediterranean,
and in position to provide important
air bases
Wartime Envoy Quoted.
Senator McCarran quoted this coun-
try's wartime Ambassador to Spain, Carl
ton j. H. Hayes, to the effect that Spain
had been Of great service to Allied Ma
tions during the Second World War In
his book, Wartime Mission in Spain,"
Mr.. Hayes commented
1T is very unfortunate that propa-
ganda of the Soviet Union, and of its
conscious or unconscious apologists and
appeasers in this country, has served.
especially during the last three years, to
conceal from the American people the
signal services which Spain rendered us
during the critical years from 1912 to
1945.'
Mr. Hayes pointed out that Spain
had pledged itself not to interfere in any
way with the American landings and
campaign in North Africa and had
pledged to join us as an ally, should
Hitler invade Spain, that it had allowed
us to use Spain as the base for invalu-
able espionage of Axis activities in
France and the Mediterranean, among
other important favors.
Even before the vote on the McCarran-
OMahoney amendment, Senator Lodge
of Massachusetts,, Republican, had told
the Senate that Spain and Ireland, neu-
trails in the last war. should be taken
into the North Atlantic Security Pact
as member nations-because of their
strategic terrain and valuable manpower.
This would mean helping to arm these
nations against Communist aggression,
f00