"Sooner or Later"

From Madrid came an experienced, serious observer with a report that Spain is ripe for revolution: "I had the opportunity to talk with all sorts of people, diplomats, businessmen, Government officials of all kinds, people on the streets. Everywhere I heard talk of an inevitable blood bath to oust Francisco Franco and his dictatorship. Even high-ranking military figures confided that revolution is the only way out.

"These elements feel it is hopeless to try to convince Franco to step out peacefully. He is stubborn, will not move. But he seems to believe somehow he can hold on, that he can meet this challenge, or perhaps move into some sort of compromise position in which he would retain his power.

"Revolutionary elements have not yet reached the point of thorough organization. They do not yet have the leadership they need, but sooner or later they will find both leadership and unity. The best-organized group moving toward revolution is the Communist. However, it is comparatively small.

"It is unfortunate that the Catholic Church in Spain is back doing business in the same way. Once again the Church is exploiting the people, selling indulgences, collecting its ten percent, doing all the things that helped bring on the civil war. The Church is no longer in full sympathy with Franco. It has been severely critical in the past months on several occasions. But it is getting along with Franco. This factor is contributing to growing resentment of the Church.

"It seems that the monarchists have fallen into the background. Some months ago it looked as if they would succeed in at least temporarily setting up the crown, that it would then be succeeded by a republic. This situation has taken a sharp turn toward republicanism."

Britain's Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden reported to the House of Commons last week that at long last Franco's Government had kicked Germans and Japanese out of their listening posts in Tangier, across from Britain's busy Gibraltar, overlooking the Mediterranean gateway. The Axis consulates, Madrid said, had been "closed and sealed." Franco recently agreed to cut his country's shipment of wolfram (for steel alloys) to Germany. But he may ship as much as ever to Spain's little Iberian neighbor Portugal, which still supplies wolfram and other essential materials to Germany.

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