The Civil War 1936-39 and After

Reconstruction.

Britain and France had recognized General Franco's Government on February 27 and the United States fol lowed suit on April I. The next few months in Spain saw the first stages of reconstruction. Side by side with such trials and purges as were inevitable after so fierce a struggle went on such works of mercy as the widespread distribution of food by the Phalangist women's organization "Auxilio Social"; and material reparations on a large scale were put in hand with such spirit that it became clear how little damage had been done to Spain's vitality. A few days after a Victory Parade held in Madrid (May 19) the Ger man and Italian combatants left Spain; and during the summer the various Ministries, and the Academies (now known jointly as the Institute of Spain), returned to the capital.

Measures of some importance during these months included laws providing for an extension of public works, making national service compulsory for males between 18 and 5o, annulling the divorce laws of the Republic, reforming the universities and re constituting the elementary school system. But the major events were the reorganization and the promulgation of a new charter for the F.E.T. and the reconstitution of the Cabinet, in which, with hardly an exception, all the Traditionalist seats were given to Phalangists, who, under Sr. Serrano Sillier, now became dominant. In September, the National Council was also reconstructed and its numbers were increased to one hundred.

Spain and the European War.

General Franco, who, dur ing the Civil War, with German troops still in his country, had made a declaration of neutrality in the event of a European con flict (Sept. 27, 1938), lost no time, when hostilities between Ger

many and the Allies began (September 3, 1939), in reaffirming this position, as he had done several times earlier in the year. At the end of March, 1939, Spain had joined the Anti-Comintern bloc; but a much more significant action, as it proved, was the conclusion, before ever the Civil War was over, of a treaty of non aggression and friendship between Spain and Portugal, the terms of which made it almost impossible for Spain to be involved in a war against Britain's oldest ally. By October, Spain's attitude to the Allies, from whose friendship she had so much to gain, was far more favourable than would have seemed conceivable six months previously. Though the Press, on, which General Franco had enjoined the strictest neutrality, commented with great re serve on the Russo-German pact, this came as a great shock to Spanish idealism and the overrunning of Catholic Poland could only have one effect on "the most Catholic country in Europe." On the other side, the fulfilment of the Jordana-Berard agreement restored better relations with France and these were strengthened by France's new attitude of belligerency towards Communism. It seemed likely that, whatever the length of the European War, Spain would be able to preserve her neutrality and devote a period officially estimated at ten years to intensive work upon her own pressing internal problems. (E. A. P.)