VISIT TO SPAIN OF TWO DELEGATES OF THE MRP

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R000800390007-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 17, 1999
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: August 20, 1947
• Content Type: IR

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COUNT 41.:gtin .
303OEC1 Fisit to Spain cr.;!'
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iNTFLUGENCE GRUM
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':,-.1aghtse of ths
.:ocument is hereby regraded 13
CONF 1Al. in accordanoe -with itbe
letter of 1 'ober 1.978 from The
Director of Centr ? 'Cgenoeb The
'relvste the Lln;tola s.
"".
DATE:
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AGES 4
4iPPLEIViENT
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of be vlsit to
4J,drid 111.74d Seville fa late, Nay 1947 of two dellsv..7asz of the rrtach
Xevabin,can Populaire,Lomis Terrenoiro, Director of llamk,
8A4 Aare Scherer, Dlrector of '0,14Xcu,s,
the social aattTities of the visitor*
the t],r.po ha towzi '''orotacol visite. In this category ;as sentioned
dAnner gvite, by 33o,ror.-4ias, Ecciesicstical AdYisor of the Trench
2-emsey, at his AmOVA tho gusste iffre Antonio de 'Luna w Ckarcia,
prominent, profeslor of internatfkonal ism, Joaquin Ruiz Jimenez of Pax
k;omana, 3nd Ax% Accion Catolioe,, Anothe7! occasion wat a dinner-
72.,00ptio:1 at the Frcrich :11;lossey attended by the sN'lrie persors stud also by
Zr, Greeorlo MaranoT; Yelix Millet; Jose Larraz, former riLEinct Minister.
zad
Ped r) Cortina zkrtri, a young diplomat now attached to the IkInistf7.
Z3lcuign4irwho .ilas former17 vtatiOned in o Tarticipatod
the n4gotiatims leading to the ostablishmont the prt:ceut sot-up
basz .-tTenez took advantage of those,f5 casionrs5 tc monopolize
YrenAl visit,xn .,4,nd to ',2res3nt himself a* one of the owtstenang
organizcl.e of tha fInre SpanivAi Ohristian Demol:trntic part'. it the
'french Rnhaesy ZAiz 'Jimenez had A alight incident with Millet. ln reply
to Ruiz 71.menez* suf'gestions ocracerning an enteilt.,.; tatween the Ce.thelice
both .ouutries, i1ietreplid that an understAnding batweer the
Jotholics aui the lrancil WAR most nolik, and boweer ths
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character of the interview. Martin Artajoss conversation did not go beyond
the limit of diplomatic formality. .25X1 X6
4. ? Activities of the French visitors
visits" began With a luncheon planned by the son of General ,Faiejul. In
addition to the ht and Millet,. there were nresentnAlfonso GRTCia
Valdecasas, of tho first Falange triumvirate, now a monarchist convert
and a signer of the message sent to the Pretender in the earlypart of
1946; Gamero del Castillo, also a founder of the Falange andenew in agree-
laeat with Garcia Valdecasas; Vicente Gallego, a director of the weekly
eeview t4no who W88 monerchist affiliate of the CEDA before the Civil
War; and the son of Dr e Maranon, who alto is a monarceist. All these
guests favored the restoration of the eionarchy without a plebiecite. ?
'lzhey indicated a deilre for contact with republican organizations but
it -a manner very carefully limiting any collaboration with such groups;
5. Francisco de Luis. Director of "Editorial Oatolica. was one o: the guetts
invited to the hOme Of Mgr. Boyer-Mas. Since the atmosphere on this
occasion was not auepicious for serious conversation, Millet invited
de Luis to dinner at rife home so that Terrenoire and Scherer could have
an opportunity to telk with him, On teis occasion de Luis was the only
Spanish guest. The French guests Were impressed with his significance
as a nersonality en the Spanish scene. He indicated his complete oppo-.
mition to Franco and his devotion to the Pretender and to Gil Robles, and
said_ he felt thet the nlebiscite should take place only after Don Juan had
returned to Spain as the head of a transition government. He ncknowledeed
the great potentiel influence of Merluza Jimenez Fernandez, but said that
he lacked coefideace in the former Agriculture Minister a$ the leader
of the Christian Deeocratic mcvement because of his imnetuositin De lee
favored the establishment of a coalition hice would do away weth the
raditional religtoes divis3on between the right end the left, in line
with the policy advaeated by the nu% He indicated his fear that the
Government, lreedy exerting a powerful influence on the editorial poli
of Ta, Would gain complete control of the Catholic daily. Souece state(
Went de Luis was eaking over certain newseaeers in the provinces with tie
idea of settine u) a chain of daily new ter to DO used in the future
for eolitical p.r,oses. 25X1X6
6. 1:errenoire and Scherer had n short visit with "La Iglesia" of Union
Repablicana during v4E...eh
ehe latter adeitted the prime,imn)rtance of the Alianza Nacional ae Fueieas
Democraticas amone the clandestine organizations, although he was not a
member and was dienosed to place every obstacle in the preth of its
ettempts at collaboration with the moharchists. When his visitors
eugeested th,t boeh the Pretender and the Republican Government-in-Exile
withdraw from the arena in order to facilitate the eive-and-take solution i
which elements ou,*10e both groups might undertake, his reaction was
eavorable. Ee exereesed the opinion that the republican sector needed
the sun .ort of a strong organizatien of the MR? type.
The French visitors were unfavorablee impreseedebyttheir intervieWs with
Gomez Paracha of the Izquierda Republicana and two of hie eolleaguee of
ehe Izaeierda Central Committee. Their exaggerated republican dogmatise
ennoyed the Frenchmen. The Izoeierda leaders expressed utter lack of
eonfidence in the accomplishments of the A:7D and in its member groups.
According to them, the Socialist Party had no.ehence to maintain the ?
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position it had held prior to the Civil War, because the Izquierda
Republicana adequately represented republican sentiment and the Unmet-et
Party fulfilled the requirements et a workers' party. To the visitore.
questions concerning a suitable means to halt the drive of the Communeet
Party, Gomem Paracha gave fragmentarye childish and inconsistent replies.
8. The two French visitors had a private interview with the Socialist leader
Rafael Henche, former Mayor of Madrid. His position was almost exactly
the same as that of his colleague Miguel Angel, Socialist- delegate to the
ASW. who expressed confidence. in the coalitiop body and emphasized Ute
necessity of achieving as soon as possible a transition .accord. Migue
Angel. discussed in detail the economic situation created by the France
regime, analyzing the facts in an objective manner which impressed the
Frenchmen. They said repeatedly that Miguel Angel was one of the peoe
25X1X6 who had given them a true picture of the Spanish situation.
Miguel Angel, in talking privately with him, was very reticent aeout
regional problees and showed a pro-Prieto point of view on the questiou
of autonomy which was not indicated in his talk with the Frenchmen.
9. An interview had been planned with the Secretary General of the Confes?eacion
Nacional del Trabajo, but his arrest made teis impossible. Serafin
Gonzalez Inestal End Miguel Palacios of the Coafederacion's Central 25X1X6
Committee, mot with the Frenchmen as a very
interesting interview. They affirmed. their support of the AFD, and
their opposition to the undertaking of "direct action." They said thtt
the abandonment of the "direct action" policy and the adoption of a
policy of collaboration had teen decided on at a plenary meeting of
October 1935, end they added that the position had been modified in 1e37
and would be re-evaluated as soon as it was possible -to hold a plenary
meeting. Palacioe and Gonzalez Inestal affirmed that the CNT remainee
totally opposed' to the Communist Party.
eD. All the groups that Terrenoire and Scherer Visited, except that of Fie -e
Jimenez, urged that the Frenchmen see Jimenez Feraandez, referring 'Lc
as the only Tensible leader of the Christian Democratic movement. Thee
25X1X6 conferred with him_ on 30 May. Jimenez Fernandez'
analysis of the Spanish situetion made the greatest impression on the
visitors, especially as coming from a man who had lived under the Freesa
regime from ite earliest days wiehout becoming involved with its collete-
rators. including- elements of the Church. Jimenez Fernandez said :thee
he was the leader of the resistance movement throughout the south of Seein,
by common consent of all republican organizations, including the Commutests.
Hs claimed that on aceount.of.his attitede before as well as after 19ee,
he wa$ designated to be the sole organizer of the Christian Democratie
Party. To carry out the organization work, he reeortedly has a netwme
of representativez in the principal cities of Spain, and is assisted
directing the growing movement by Francisco Pelsmaeker1 professor of
Ecclesiastical Lev in Seville, and Francisco Abascal, brother-in-law of
Martin Artajo, also living in Seirille. Jimenez Fernandez said that either
of these two men could take over the leadership of the whole resistance
movement in the 'south if anythine should happen to him. Abascal was
cited as his confidant, and was aescribed as stronely anti-Franco.
Jimenez Fernandes spoke of his correspondence with Ruiz Jimenez0 and
denounced those whom he called peeudo-Christian Democrats.* He said
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_CoRRfnt:
For an account ref Jimenez Fernandez rebuff to Ruiz Jimenez' invitaeion
to-particieate in the formation of a Christian Deeocratic Party, see
the introductory paragraph of
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thel if the best solution to the Spanish problem were believed to be a
monarchy, it would be acceetable to him, remarking thrt his "opportunism"
on this subject constituted the chief difference between him and Francisco
de Luis. He spoke of his contacts with the Infante Alfonso de Orleans,
for whom he indicated great admiration, and who, he said, would be willing
to commit himself to Jimenez Fernandez' plan for the establishment of a
unifying anti-Franco organization. He indicated dissatisfaction with the
passive position of Gil Robles and with the CEDA leader's devotion to the
Pretender. Nevertheless, he felt that it was possible that Gil Robles,
with his large personal following, might some day be a potent factor in
the Christian Democratic movement.
11. Jimenez Fernandez read to his guests his outline of the fundamental
principles involved in the establishment of a unified resistance group,
and discussion of the subject followed. Althoueh he discussed freely the
possible amendment of his document, he later thet he was
determined to stand by what he had written. 25X1X6
oesel
aiiiimawillopermer
document contains information
cffectin e national defense of the
United State thin the meaning of
the Espionage A Op U.S.C. 31 and
32 as amended. I s smission or
the revelation of its c ts in any
manner to an unauthorized p is
prohibited by law.
Approved For Release 1999/09/24: CIA-RDP82-00457R000800390007-8