Ya?

Francisco Franco looked north and saw German troops concentrated on the Spanish-French border. To the south, U.S. and British forces formed a virtual arc around Spanish Morocco. From the U.S. in the west had come assurances of peaceful intentions if Spain remained neutral. From Italy in the east, Franco's onetime ally, harassed Benito Mussolini, cried out hopefully: "There is no longer any distinction between Fascism, Naziism and Falangism."

On the occasion of his 50th birthday, fat Franco last week had little to be happy about. His Falangist "Voice of Spain" radio has kept up violent attacks against the United Nations. The newspaper Ya (Now) editorialized: "By clear designation of God, Franco represents and directs the Spanish nation in the most difficult period of her history." From his other onetime ally, Adolf Hitler, Franco received a birthday present of a new German-made automobile. It may have been a reminder of other gifts--of men and war materiel--sent by Hitler and Mussolini when Franco needed their help to defeat the Spanish Loyalists.*

* Franco's reply to Hitler: "Many. thanks to you and the German people. . . . May your arms triumph in the glorious undertaking of freeing Europe from the Bolshevik Terror. With . . . friendship and affection."

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