With General Franco preparing for his drive against the Republican positions in central Spain, the withdrawal of General Miaja, aged but gallant defender of Madrid, into the background, and the preparation of some of the Government leaders to take flight there is every reason to believe that the Spanish civil war is very nearly at an end. The decisions of various nations to recognize the Franco regime de jure, including France and Great Britain, of which the latter's decision may have been made public by the time these lines are in print, may be regarded not only as recognition of the existing state of affairs, but also in the light of mercifully assisting in putting an end to a struggle which the world has watched with dismay for nearly three years. It was little thought, when the Nationalists commenced what it was hoped would be a quickly successful coup d'etat in 1936, that Spain would be drenched in a torrent of blood, and made the scene of fearful atrocities. But the resistance offered by the Republican Government to General Franco was such that in a very short while it became apparent that the subjugation of Spain by the Nationalist rebels would be at the very least a question of time, and that it would be impossible unless they were given that outside assistance of which the world knows only too well. What might have been restricted to a domestic concern of the Spanish, became by reason of the assistance given to both sides, by Germany and Italy on the one hand and Soviet Russia on the other, a war of divergent ideologies in which the Spaniards were reduced to the position of mere pawns in the greater struggle which followed the failure of the originally planned speedy revolution. Spaniards commenced to slaughter each other and be slaughtered by alien interveners, not so much then because General Franco wanted control of Spain but because foreign governments desired the vindication of the principles upon which they had been founded.
The reduction of the Catalan provinces, the flight of the Republican President into France, the division amongst the Government leaders themselves as to the course which should next be followed, has brought about a degree of disunion rendering it impossible that the Republican forces should ever regain their morale, or be able to fight on with any prospect of ultimately gaining the victory. From the moment the Republican cause became a forlorn hope, it was obviously the duty of everyone interested in the humanities to do everything possible to put a period to a struggle which has been waged all too long as it is. It is perfectly understandable why certain sections in Great Britain, and also in France, for that matter, should view the recognition of the Franco regime with "shame and abhorrence." They see in such recognition the final defeat of everything in Spain for which they stand in their own countries. But nothing could possibly be more shameful and more abhorrent than to seek to encourage the Spanish Republicans to continue a war which they have already lost, and which cannot be continued with further additions to the appalling totals of mortality and misery which have already been reached. That is obviously what those who supported the views of Mr. C. R. Attlee at Sunday's meeting in Trafalgar Square were doing. They were seeking to encourage the Spanish Republicans to continue a fight|^ which is already lost and to plunge their country even further into the bath of blood in which it has been forced to wallow for nearly three years. Wisdom and mercy demand that this thing shall not be, and if by recognizing the Franco regime, Great Britain and France can impress upon the Republicans the utter futility of further resistance, who can possibly deny that the best interests of humanity are thereby served? British Labour is refusing to recognize very patent realities when it encourages Republican Spain to continue tilting with a windmill which has all the ability to tilt back with much more deadly effect.
One of the factors which it is stated has led the Entente to recognize General Franco is the giving by the latter of assurances concerning the principles which will guide the head of the Nationalist Government in administering justice in the remaining Republican areas when they pass under its control. Those assurances are very broadly stated, but opinion in London accepts them as evidence that general reprisals against political leaders on the Republican side will be avoided. It would have been much more satisfactory if it had been possible to obtain from General Franco the greatly desired Eeneral amnesty. One of the most unsatisfactory features of the present situation is that this could not be obtained, and there is still the danger remaining that, once in control of the areas at present holding out, General Franco may resort to measures for the reduction of political opposition for which precedents have been established elsewhere. It must be apparent that whatever form the Franco regime may appear to assume, when ther a monarchy or not, the future government of Spain will be of a totalitarian nature. If that should prove not to be case, then the Nationalist military victory will amount to an ideological defeat of Germany and Italy, amd it is, consequently, perfectly clear that anything in the nature of a democratic constitution is not to be expected. The future development of Spain will be watched witl the closest attention. The rehabilitation of the country, so eminently necessary in the light of all that it has suffered, will be one of General Franco's first tasks. In that he will undoubtedly need outside aid, aid which neither Germany nor Italy are in the economic position completely to afford. It is in this direction that Great Britain and France may expect to carry some weight with the new regime which is to be established. Governments are not likely to be permanently influenced by benefits which have already been granted. Immediate needs make them easily forgotten and there is good ground for believing that sooner or later, and probably sooner, both Great Britain and France may hope to regain lost influences.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.