| Show I Washingto- Washingto Washington Round Merry-Go-Round Parson By Drew WASHINGTON WASHINGTON-In In December December December Decem Decem- ber 1940 Secretary of ot State Cordell Hull Issued a caustic denial that he had ever offered a credit to Dictator Franco of Spain Today is published a book Appeasement Child by Lieutenant Lieutenant Lieutenant Lieu Lieu- tenant Thomas J. J Hamilton U.S. U.S. U. U S S. S navy who was in Spain at atthe atthe atthe the time and tells in detail how the American ambassador Alexander Alexander Alexander Alex Alex- ander Weddell offered Franco a credit The book bookis is one which should be read by ev everyone r one who wants to understand understand understand un un- the state departments department's long history of appeasement in Spain France Japan Germany and north Africa Lieutenant Hamilton relates how in an the winter of 1940 Franco was riding roughshod over American interests how the fascists fascists fascists fas fas- were thumbing their noses at the United States and how all this culminated culminate in the stoning of the American embassy by a a gang of of fascist students from rom the University of Madrid Ambassador Weddell had in informed informed informed in- in formed Serrano Spanish foreign minister and Francos Franco's law in that a hostile demonstration was planned and even named the day writes Hamilton No extra guards were provided however and even the two usually stationed In front of the embassy were absent wh when n the gang came cam up and st started sh shouting its opinion of the United States When Mr Weddell came out one of them grabbed his arm and tried to hold it up In the fascist salute Then the gang began throwing throwing throwing throw throw- ing stones and some enamel was chipped off the seal of the United States over the doorway Weddell immediately asked for foran foran I Ian an interview to protest the in in- in But continues Hamilton over overa a a week elapsed before Mr Weddell Weddell Weddell Wed Wed- dell was able to see Franco At last however r the Interview took place and we we offered the once famous credit instead of demanding an apol apol- ogy This supra was to be used for wheat gasoline rubber cotton cotton cotton cot cot- ton mea meat the meat the the five products necessary to prevent the Fra Franco co regime from collapsing Perhaps suspecting S that some ome elaborate Saxon Anglo-Saxon plot was lurking behind this ingenuousness ingenuous ingenuous- ness Franco was not over- over enthusiastic He agreed however however however how how- ever for Mr Weddell ll to discuss details with Serrano the following week The interview went off rather well and Serrano Serrano Serrano Ser Ser- rano agreed on behalf of his law in to accept the credit If the United States would be satisfied with the phrase if it is not foreseen that Spain Spam would enter the war instead of ot a flat promise not to enter the war Hamilton goes on to state that when the American public learned of this astonishing transaction transaction transaction trans trans- action the reaction was highly unfavorable and Secretary Sect of State Hull announced that although al although l- l though Franco had requested a credit he had been refused The Washington Merry-Go- Merry Round at about this time published published published pub pub- a statement that Hull had offered the credit to Franco but that Undersecretary Sumner Welles had gone over his head to the president to oppose oppose op op- pose it Referring to this this Hamilton states states- Whatever the disagreement disagreement disagreement dis dis- dis- dis agreement agreement within our own government government government gov gov- it seems to have been the sudden veto by Hoare British British British Brit Brit- ish Ambassador Sir Sam SamUel el Hoare that finally brought its rejection His change of heart apparently resulted from the fact that the Franco regime interpreting the offer as a sign of weakness suddenly resumed its forward policy in Tangiers in defiance of pledges to the the- British Brit Brit- ish At the same time several of the most prominent British business men men- in Spain Spam were ar ar- ar- ar rested t e Hamilton goes on to report that later Franco got a credit totaling in a roundabout roundabout roundabout round- round II about way from Argentina We WeI I offered Argentina a credit but it was rejected and how the matter was arranged arranged arranged ar ar- ar- ar ranged is still a secret However Hamilton reports that finally the Argentine deal went through in January 1941 at a time when Spain Spam had just two weeks' weeks supply of wheat left Argentine maize started pouring in when the nation was down to her last stocks and Franco was saved t to fight another another another an an- other day Note Greatest worry on the part of General Dwight D. D Eisen Eisen- however In north Africa today Is that Spain Will team up with Hitler Hitler Hitler Hit Hit- ler and attack us To protect against this a good part of the theU U U. S. S army has to be stationed all around Spanish Morocco A drive from Spanish Morocco could completely separate U. U S. S for forges forces es In French Morocco from those in Algeria Gossip about Bernie Baruch's party for Mrs Harry Hopkins has reached such fabulous proportions proportions proportions pro pro- portions that in fairness the facts should be stated Mr BarUch Bartich now 72 years old never drinks eats sparingly almost always goes to bed by 9 p. p m. m If you phone him after 9 30 p p. p m. m he is impossible to reach unless j there is sickness in the family Usually he limits dinner guests to four people On the occasion of the Hopkins party Baruch told the maitre at the Carlton I dont don't want a big party Joseph Ill I'll what they eat eal Joseph replied Leave it to me B Bernie ern i e now regretfully mourns I 1 did Busy with other things spending spending spending spend spend- ing most of his time trying to speed up war production and having no women in his household household household house house- hold Bernie knew nothing of what was to be served until he entered the dining room He says now he wishes he had been beeri trained to be more domestic 4 I |
