Oldal 4 [4]
pretender finds himself with virtually no support at the time
when obviously official Spain has decided that he should not
become King. Under these conditions it seems now clear thet the
chences of Don Juan can be written off.
The question of his son are presently under discussione
As we already said in previous reports, the idea is to have the .~
sn back in Spaing proclaim him-as King with a Regency and then / |
educate him in the country. This is now what tie governement des.
sirese Approaches in that direction have been made ‘to Don Juans,
end he is strongly pressed to accept the solution by the most
faithful supporters of the Monerchy and the dybasty. The matter
is now under discussion in Estoril. Indications received so far
in Me@rid are not encouraging, end the signs seem to point to a
refusal. Still, the last word is not spoken, and the pretender
hes still a chance to step inoto the background for the sake of
ta preservation of the dynastye His advisers oppose this moveée
tf it is nevertheless accepted, the path will be cleared very
rapidly indeed for the full establishment of Monarchy, with Franco
chenging his stetus from lead of State to the one of Regente
put if a refusal is forthcoming, the Spanish Governement wili be
brought to consider sweeping changes of policye This observer has
been told on highest authority, that in such a case the stability
of Spain will have to be assured by other meens, end that decis
gions might be forthcoming as soon as Don Juen has repliede In
what direction these decisions would be mede, no one but Franco
himself seem to know. But they certainly would be extremely far
reaching. It is thus to be hoped, end most of the best political
prains of Spain do so, that Don Juan at the last moment will
shake off the indiluence of his advisers, and will accept the go=
vernenent's suggestion, thus giving Spain much needed stability
in a fom that covfid b accepted by most people without a raducal
change of habiise :
it is in the expectation of this momentous decision se
wheh most Likely will be taken before next spring - that all the
decisions of domestic policy have been shelved. Somehow, in dos
nestie affairs, Spain is holding her breath, But as soon as a
decision will be taken, one way or enother, sweeping changes
wil be made in the struwutre of the governement to suit it to
tk new conditions. Thus interesting developments should be ex=
pectede 7
Meenwhile the Spanish Amy is continuing its modernize
tánne Though American weapons have still not come, the reconstruc= |
tan ofthe Army has now progressed to a point, where the Amy is
ready to receive the new weapons on short notices ‘The negociations
with America, though shrouded in secret, seem to be progressing
all right, and Madrid expects a conclusion sone
63.