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A      •   ..f   '^fc71'' January 17th, 198»
My Lord,
The recent offensive by General Franco's
forces has provoked considerable despondency In this
country where sympathy Is very largely with the
Barcelona Government* As an Instance of typical
opinion I have the honour to enclose a copy of a
leading article from the "Washington Post" of January
15th which draws special attention to the risk to
La11 n-Amer i c a of a victory by General Franco* The
argument Is that the General la deeply In debt to
Italy and Germany and that the pipers will undoubtedly
call their tune.   "One place where the pay-off must be
anticipated is In Latin-America"- - The article goes on
to argue that the triumph of a nationalistic, racially
conscious revolutionsry movement in Spain is bound to
be followed by an assertive pan—Hispanic movement*
Such a movement will be directed in the Italian and
German Interest both in the spheres of trade and of
political propaganda.    "A France victory would make a
Fascist springboard of the Iberian Peninsula* including
Portugal as well as Spain* extending to the Azores* the
Canary Islands and other potential air and submarine
bases pointing towards South jnerica".
8* The editor of the "Washington Post" tells
me that this article provoked the same afternoon a radio
Ipl attack/
The Right Honourable
The viscount Halifax. K*G*,
etc* t etc*, etc.
GB:VALM:DH
§§§
INDE*
-2-
attack by a local priest named Father Cartwright and
that at least 80 subscriptions to the newspaper have
already been cancelled by Catholic readers. The one
body of opinion la this country which Is strongly pro**
Franco Is the Roman Catholic Church, whose leaders In
this country are nearly all obeying the behest of the
Vatican in supporting the Insurgents.   There have been
bitter polemics at public meetings and in the press
between Catholic leaders and the Spanish Ambassador,
notably when the Archbishop of Cincinnati conducted a
"Red mass" in Washington to celebrate the opening of
Congress and the jubilee year of the Law School of the
Catholic University here. Even more vigorous was the
reaction of the Archbishop of Baltimore to an
invitation from the Spanish Ambassador to visit
Barcelona and investigate the treatment of the Chureh
there for himself.   The Archbishop, if the press is to
be believed, indulged in somewhat unclerical language
and described the Ambassador as "a common, ordinary
liar".   He said that he regarded the Ambassador's
invitation as "quintessential and sublimated gall" and
that photographs showing priests conducting funerals in
broadcasts in denouncing Dr. Negrin's Government, and ±n
opposing the vigorous campaign here which alms at
Inducing Congress to lift the wmbargo on the export of
arms to Spain by revision of the Neutrality Act. The
hatred of Germany provoked by Jewish persecutions has
stimulated this agitation, and the Catholic Church
appears to be in the curious position of supporting
Barcelona are "the bunk".
Father Coughlin is also active in his
Nazi/
-a-
Nazi alas la Spain while denouncing' Kazi persecution
In Germany, although It is the Nasi attitude toward*
the Church rather than towards the Jews whlefe
provokes the more criticism. Father Gaughlin. however,
is attacking the Jews on the ground that they are
communists at heart, and his campaign la represented
by left-wing papers such as "The Nation" as a deliberate
attempt to spread anti-SQisitisia*   In this he is not
supported by the wiser <a<$tt£>er8 of the hierarchy*
4. I am sending a eopy of this despatch to
7*
His Majesty's Minister to the Holy see*
I have the honour to be*,
with the highest respect*
My Lord.
Your Lordship*a iMBt obedient*
humble servant,
(mr>) v. A. 1* kaxiac
H.M. Charge" d'Affaires.
__ V