1937-02-16 — Page 11

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THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 16, 1937..

Page

Portrait Of A Rebel Leader

TH

tools

THE eyes of the world are focused obstacles, and entered the National cause in Morocco, and began mov- In his eagerness to further his on Francisco Franco, the de- Military Academy at Toledo. A ing his troops to the Spanish main- programme, Franco has demons- bonair generalissimo of the Spanish brilliant student; he stood high in land, to support the lagging milit- trated his willingness to use any or domestic and to revolutionary forces. And the his technical work; his persistence ary movement in the south.

The writer saw Franco in Seville make any pledges that the needs of world is asking questions: What-and coolness quickly won the ad-

the day he arrived from Morocco the moment dictated. To him the manner of soldier is Franco? How miration of his officers.

to take. personal command of the end justifies the ans, and he has did he rise to power? There is Graduated from the academy, southern campaign. Although his declared himself a liberal, a Fas still another question-the most Franco was assigned to a command troops in many places were cut off cist, or an advocate of strict milit- important of all-as to whether with the African regulars at Te- from one another, he was cool and ary dictatorship as expediency die- Franco is powerful enough to tuan, capital of Spanish Morocco. confident and chatted freely for tated. He sees no inconsistency dominate the diverse elements in His active service began almost im- forty minutes about the "new and in, killing peasants for their own the revolutionary party.

mediately. Skirmishes, shots in modern Spain", he hoped to bring good, or in ehmmating opposition This last question cannot yet be the dark, raiding parties armed into being, about the "failure" of through murders masked as mili- answered definitely. But from his with knives, mutilation, death the Spanish Liberals and. Leftists tary executions. "personality, his background and his these were commo_places for the to bring that Spain into existence It must be apparent to any one who visits Franco's headquarters, declarations of policy one may, per- young Spanish officers in the Mo--not at all about himself. haps, glean some idea of where this roccan army. Franco thrived on

wherever they may be at the Thereafter for man and his movement are likely them. He was commandant for a...

many weeks, moment, that he is fighting atop let others carry on the a volcano, Three groups in his to end.

time at Larache, a post which other Franco

* * *

To meet Franco for the first time officers were loath to accept be- verbal war for the Rebels, prefer-command are wresting for control

ring to win leadership by action of the movement is to get a shock. One expects to cause of its dangers. Once, in a

Gaunt General : On his staff, and in daily co2- see a man with the dynamic per- fierce battle against the Moors at rather than words.

Queipo de Llano charmed the Sevil- tact with him, are members of the sonality of a Mussolini, the hard- Biutz, he was wounded.

lians on the radio; anxious Gen- old aristocracy, the huge land- ness of the usual professional sol- During this period of military eral Mola in the north issued fre- owners. They are not offering dier. Instead, from behind the incubation, Franco was learning to

quent statements; but when this their blood on the field of battle desk in a modest office, arises a know the Moors perhaps better period was over, General Franco for nothing. They are holding a short, almost effeminate looking than any of his fellow-Spaniards. had many key points of Spain in bill that they intend to deliver to man. His hair is dark above his The Moors love a brave man, and his grasp or at his mercy. He was him later. It reads, “We intend to black eyes. His shirt is open at this young officer was soon talked then made, without asking for it, keep our land." the neck, his tunic half unbutton about wherever Moors got together. "chief of the new Spanish State." ed. Everything about him is in The fact that he now is the only In considering Franco's sharp contrast to the stiff, spruce Spanish officer to whom Moorish and what he hopes to accomplish, efficiency of the blue-sashed staff officers outside.

The second impression, following quickly on the first, is of an effer- vescent htheartedness.

The

ideas

By Frank L. Kluckhohn

his way,

world may

rry about Franco, but chieftains will freely give men for .one must

grew out of these in the generalissimo takes everything "a foreign war in his stride. He comes perhaps as beginnings. close as any one could to a con-

-A second group is made up of the professional army officers.

They have borne the brunt of the heavy fighting. They too expect to rule Spain if the battle is won.

And there are the phalanxists, or Fascists.. The country would remember that he is, rebel were Franco to keep the an unusual type of Moors and foreign mercenaries in Spaniard. He links all the old Spain for overlong Yet, when he Then came the Riff war, when prejudices of the upper class with takes them out, the phalanxists tinued state of cheerfulness. His the combined French and Spanish the progressive spirit of a man win outnumber the military three quick smile, his light chuckle, in- Armies after years of bitter fight- who has advanced rapidly in life, to one and their plans are dia- dicate that his is a natural airness, ing crushed Abd-el-Krim and his who has risen to high position metrically opposed to those of the

tribesmen, bringing peace to Mo younger than most, and who is not landowners and army officers. not an enforced moral discipline.

bound by tradition.

Franco fears that in the end they may be nearly as extreme as he holds the Spanish Leftists to have been. They have already declared against capitalism in the accepted

They want a corporative State, As he talks, moving his hands rocco in 1926. In that war Franco

His association with the power and would carry out Franco's own rapidly to express himself better, helped to organize the first com

ideas of dividing up the land and famed Spanish ful military clique before the re- shifting easily from time to time pany of the now against the back of his chair, one Foreign Legion, and, with the death public, his religious training and subjecting the church. There are gets still another impression. His in action of his superior officer, as his association with men of money already strong indications that the mind works with lightning preci- sumed command of the company. and position, incline him to look generalissimo is inclined to bow to sion on almost any subject. He is So outstanding was Franco's upon any Liberal movement of the the desires of these upper middle sent other classes with antipathy and class men for that sort of armed calm, assured, apparently frank, conduct that King Alfonso. Above all, he is not didactic, as are him a medal, together with a mes- alarm. Individually, he likes the mob rule that characterised Italy so many dictators and would-be sage, "Serve me always" That petit bourgeosie and the peasants. In the early days of Mussolini But king of recognition does something Collectively, he tends to misunder dictators.

stand and fear their motives.

* * * There is nothing of the play to a young officer's heart that no actor about him. Yet he is so ac- subsequent happenings ever com-

"My chief objection to the re- customed to authority that it sits pletely erase. Franco is to-day a publican government has been that monarchist, though he believes that it has sought to establish Marxist restoration of the monarchy is im- ideas, destroy the church, and To put it briefly, Franco is in promise a better living for the the difficult position of a bareback Now only 44 years old, General practical at this time.

* ** military Franco already has a

people without taking steps to as rider who mounts three untrained After the monarchy collapsed, sure it," he told me. "I want to horses each one of which wants career of thirty years behind him. He was a cadet at 14. At 23 he some of the Spanish Republicans keep Spain from falling into the to run away.

class I want to hand, he may be able to control was cutting his military teeth in wanted Franco cashiered Manuel hands of one the grim mountains of Africa, Azana, then Minister of War, re- erase the abuses of centuries by and make a team of them but it fighting against the savage Moorish fused. "Franco is above all a sol- giving all classes an equal oppor will take skill to compromise their

desires. His dier," he said. “We can count up- tunity. tribes which he now leads.

lightly on him.

*

character was shaped in the midst on his integrity."

Azana's mistake was realized of an unrelenting struggle, where human life was cheap, physical after the Spanish Rightists had courage was taken for granted and won the 1933 elections. Gil Robles, brutality that would shock the reactionary party-leader, became average civilian was the order of War Minister and brought Franco in as chief of staff. Franco used the day.

Francisco Franco was born in Dec. the position to prepare the army 8, 1892, at Ferrol, which lies on a for ev atual revolt. beautiful harbour of Galicia, just When the Popular Front won the north of Portugal, where a part of elections in February of this year. the Great Armada lay before it Franco was sent to the supposed sailed for England. Ferrol's tran

oblivion of a command in the Can- quil sloping hills might have been ary Islands: But the seeds of re expected to shape a youngster to volt had been sown -It was only And Franco's a question of when they would father, a comfortably situated member of to buttress the influence of such surroundings by urging the boy to become an artist or an architect.

peaceful ends,

Me middle class, sought-

Bower.

In July, Calvo Sotelo, Right- ist leader, was murdere Madrid.

Franco took plane the same day to

Moroccan army much to build dated

But the seed of soldiery was deeply imbedded in young Fran co's heart. He broke through all swiftly, he

done

Some of Fir fighting round

form.

By

using an iron