Evening star., 1953-09-28
Our Pact With Spain


an agreement with General Franco for the use
of military bases in Spanish territory evidently
marks the end, as far as we are concerned,
of strange interlude in foreign policy.
1t was an interlude which saw the United
States, soon to become the bastion of Western
defense against Communist aggression, joining
forces with the Communists in an effort to
bring about the downfall of the Franco gov
ernment-perhaps the strongest anti-Commu-
mist government in Western Europe At Pots
dam, in August, 1945, we joined with the
Russians and British in opposing the admission
of Franco Spain to the United Nations In
March, 1946, we joined the French and the
British in an appeal to the Spanish people to
get rid of Franco. Then, after phony Com
munist-led effort in the Security Council to
indict the Franco government as threat to
peace, we voted in the General Assembly. for
the resolution barring Spain from u N agen-
cieS, urging U. N. members to recall their
ambassadors from Madrid, and recommending
that the Security Council consider more ade-
quate measures unless representative Span
ish government was established within
reasonable period
This was an effort which was foredoomed
to failure, and which did fail. For it served to
strengthen Franco in Spain instead of weaken
him. 1t was also policy which was fatally
defective in that it put an theological consid-
Grafton ahead of our own national welfare
Gradually this became clear. Our major
allies, notably those who now clamor for the
admission of Red China to the U. NJ on the
ground that policy should be dictated by politi-
cal realities, not ideology still adhere to their
opposition to Franco Spain. But by 1949 when
the Communist threat to the world had be-
come too plain to be ignored, we had begun to
back away from our initial bunder. Now, in
our case at least, the wheel has turned almost
full circle.
We still do not advocate admission of Spain
to the U. N. or to NATO But we have worked
out an agreement which gives us the right to
use Spanish air and naval bases in exchange
for substantial economic aid to the Franco
government. So, for practical purposes the
illogical breach has been closed.
1t remains to be seen how useful the mill
tary aspects of the agreement will prove to be-
In event of war the use of the naval bases
should be helpful in the bitter struggle that
will have to be waged against the Russian sub
marine fleet. The air bases should enhance
our capacity to strike at the inner sources of
Soviet power. And if the worst comes the
land mass behind the Pyrenees should serve as
huge base which could be held against the
Russian ground forces.
On the other hand, the changing nature
of modern war may largely nullify these con-
ventional concepts. The hydrogen bomb, the
guided missile and other new and deadly tech
nological weapons could bring decision before
the military benefits which we derive from the
agreement with Spain would ever come into
play
This possibility, however, does not materi-
ally detract from the desirability of a military
arrangement with Spain. The shape of future
war is not certain. And in any event. with such
colossal struggle shaping up, we should neg
lect no opportunity to strengthen the force
which could be brought into action on our side.
Spain, with its strategic geographical position
and it's tough OO0OO-man army, is undeniably
a valuable asset in this respect.