Evening star., 1951-07-17
Spain as an Ally

Two recent items in the news suggest that
we may be moving slowly-but still moving-in
the direction of rectifying our wrong headed
policy toward Spain as possible ally.
One Is the announcement that Admiral Sher-
man is visiting Spain in the course of his Euro
pean trip His visit marks the first time that
a member of our Joint Chiefs of Staff has gone
to Spain for talks with officials of that country.
The other item is the report from Madrid-as
yet unconfrmed-that Generalissimo Franco is
planning to reorganiZe his government with
view 10 softening some of the opposition to his
regime in this country and some of our European
allies
One should guard against reading too much
significance into these reports. For they may
mean little or nothing Taken with other straws
In the diplomatic wind, however, such as the
recent speech in Detroit by the Spanish Am
bassador to the effect that his country is pre-
pared to join with other nations in common
defense against communism, they tend to sup
port the belief that a saner Spanish policy is
taking shape in Washington
Such development certainly is long over
due, for stupid is the only word which can
properly be used to describe our policy toward
Spain over the past several years. One might
almost think that we had set out deliberately to
ALLEVIATE and drive off a prospectively rugged
ally in event of serious trouble with Russia Per-
haps this was understandable during that era of
splendid Sef-deluson when our official position
was that the Russians were going to become
good and trustworthy friends. Even after we
had emerged from that strange interlude, how
ever, end after we had clearly perceived that
Communist Russia was a deadly enemy, we con-
tinued to prattle theological nonsense as an
argument against forging closer relations with
moi Nonfi na11ry T11 foo&
seven months ago Mr.. Truman said he had not
changed his mind one bit about Spain.
Nevertheless, whatever the Presidents state
Of mind may be, our policy has been changing
Under strong pressure from Congress, the ad-
ministration attitude has been softening and
it may be that important new steps are being
taken now.
We most certainly should be very seriously
exploring the possibilities OF an arrangement
with Spain which would strengthen the West
Spain offers the strongest geographical position
In Europe. But much would have to be done
before that country could serve as an effective
military ally. Its transportation system is in
terrible shape 1t has an army of some 100000
tough fighting men, but they are sadly deficient
in modern equipment and modern training
Strong air power based in Spain could dominate
the Western Mediterranean and much of the
Atlantic, but> Spain has no modern air bases
or planes
II war should come in Europe this year or
next, we will need Spain-let there be no mistake
about that. But if we fiddle around until war
starts Spain will be of little value. For it will
take time, considerable time, to build up the
Spanish military potential 1t cannot be done
in day or week or month. If we are serious
about making stand against the Russians in
Europe in event of war, we should be trying
now to find out what arrangements can be made
with Spain and what can be done to build up
SPANS military effectiveness. Perhaps this is
why Admiral Sherman is in Madrid At any rate,
one may hope that this is why he is there.