Ext 6116/46(S) 'Secret Weekly Political Intelligence Summaries, nos 356-416, August 1946-November 1947' [‎395r] (805/978)

c 2
33431
11
as the coping-stone of an edifice of so-called
fundamental laws none of which had in
fact been put into practice. Don Juan was
ready, as tie had always been, to agree to a
normal and unconditional transfer of
authority, but to acquiesce in General
F^p&co's suggestions for Spain’s future
would be to fail in his sacred duty as
guardian of the inherent rights of the
Crown, rights which equally formed part
of the spiritual patrimony of the Spanish
nation.
This unequivocal statement is in line
with views already expressed by Don Juan
in an interview given last autumn to a
Spanish correspondent of The Observer,
details of which, (with amplifications
arising from General Franco’s latest move)
were published with Don Juan's permission
on the 13th April. At this interview Don
Juan affirmed that he had nothing to add
to his Manifesto of the 19th March, 1945.
His views of the Franco regime remained
unaltered, though he was quite prepared to
negotiate an agreement with General
Franco provided its sole purpose was to
pave the way for a peaceful, complete and
unconditional transfer of authority. Public
reaction to the Draft Law of Succession
had made it clear that already the Crown
could count on a body of opinion so exten
sive and so coherent that the Sovereign
would be enabled to carry into effect a
national policy.
In replying to specific questions put to
him Don Juan expressed the opinion that
an historic institution such as the Spanish
Monarchy could not depend on the will of
a transitory majority expressed in a
referendum. But, since the establishment
of a regime and the carrying out of its high
guiding mission depended largely on
adherence to the national will unequivo
cally expressed, Don Juan intended to seek
such confirmation of the will of Spain as
soon as circumstances permitted. Another
question concerned his possible difficulty
in carrying out the political and economic
reforms which he has promised against the
wishes of the Army, Church, banking and
industrial elements whose support was
generally believed to be the mainstay of the
present regime. Don Juan replied that,
although the support or acquiescence of
such groups was necessary for peaceful
change, there was a wide gulf between co
operation with them and a Monarchy in
subservience to them. Every individual
and everybody that moved and acted within
the framework of the law would under the
Monarchy enjoy the same privileges:
political and social rights would be upheld
in a way which would challenge comparison
with that of most progressive countries.
Other answers made by Don Juan indicated
that he would like to see a wider adminis
trative division between the State and the
Catholic Church, the latter being separated
for its own safety from all political strife,
and that he was prepared to treat with due
respect historical and particularist claims
within the Spanish State so long as they
did not impair Spanish sovereignty or
unity. A policy of decentralization
transferring to all regions part of the
departmental activities at present over
burdening the State would, he thought, be
of the greatest advantage. Finally, Don
Juan dealt summarily with the charge often
brought against him of having twice
during the civil war offered his services to
General Franco (a fact made much of
recently in Spanish broadcasts, with a
view presumably to discrediting Don Juan
with the Left). Peace would not come to
Spain, said Don Juan, until Spaniards are
offered the opportunity to bury their
mutual hatreds and feuds. Thus Don
Juan—in his words at least—shows an
encouraging realism and freedom from
bias, gained in the bitterness of exile.
His message to the Spanish people has
been well received in Spain by critics of
Franco’s latest Bill. It is rather signifi
cant that the Madrid newspapers, Ya,
Arriba (the Falange Party organ) and
ABC (under Monarchist ownership) have
been permitted to publish the Royal
documents together with Don Juan’s
original manifesto of March 1945, previ
ously withheld. ABC in an outspoken
accompanying article declared that General
Franco’s Bill of Succession violated perma
nent values of the traditional Monarchy,
while the other two newspapers made no
attempt to argue over the terms of the
manifesto, but criticised Don Juan for his
failure to recognize General Franco’s
services in saving Spain from Communism.
Spanish broadcasts, however, have been
couched in much stronger terms and reflect
the Government’s anxiety to stress the
“ absolute and obvious legality of the
Spanish regime which sprang from the
National uprising” and the anarchy and
chaos likely to follow from any attempt to
force General Franco to relinquish the
reins. The Caudillo is manifestly per
turbed by reports of Don Juan’s success in
convincing the Moderate Left that the