They merely recalled that Spain's international position since the European war was defined at frst by General Franco himself on September 4, 1939, when he solemnly proclaimed Spain's neutrality in the European conflict- At that time, he insisted that Spain would remain neutral "so long as the conflict does not directly affect her vital and moral interests in the Mediterranean and in Africa Throughout that and until June 1940, General Franco reiterated that his country would abide by this neutrality.
Spain's attitude developed i many government-ired editorials published in the vspapers ABC and Arriba, the fatter being the official organ of the Spanish Phalanx When Italy declared war on France and Great Br in June 1940, General Franco altered Spain's neutral stand into one of "non-belligerency." This announcement was followed by a number of semi-official comments which specified that the declaration of non-belligerency did not mean that Spain favoured one of the parties at war, but merely placed herself in a state of "emergency."
Early last fall, direct conversations between Germany, Italy end Spain took place. Senor Serrano Suner went to Berlin where he saw the Fuehrer and Herr Joachim von Ribbentrop, the German Foreign Minister, several times. He then made a trip to Rome, where he met Signor Mussolini and Count Galeazzo Ciano, the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs. ally, on the eve of the Petain-Hitler meeting at Montoire on October 23 last year, General Franco himself, leaving Spanish soil for the the first time since his assumption [of power, went to Hendaye, just across the Franco-Spanish border, to meet the Fuehrer.
Events in the, Mediterranean have en another turn during the past w weeks, General Franco apparent-decided to consult Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini once more, and to take advantage of this trip in order to meet Marshal Petain.
The Spanish and French statesmen know each other well, Marshal Petain having been appointed the first French Ambassador to General Franco's Government at the end of the Spanish civil war—Havas-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.