ATTITUDE RELATIVE TO US AID/ POLITICAL ATTITUDE/ LOW LIVING STANDARD/PRICES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00423R001001400001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 26, 1999
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: November 1, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

U. S. OFFICIALS ONLY
CONFIDENTIAL
SECURITY INFORMATION
25X1A
Approved 'For Release 1999/09/10 : CIA-RDP83-00423R001001400001-4
COUNTRY Spain
SUBJECT Attitude Relative to US Aid Political Attitude/
Low Living Standard/Prices
PLACE ACQUIRES)
(BY SOURCE)
DATE ACQUIRED
(BY SOURCE)
DATE (OF INFO) Jul - Sep 1953
- A! ~ ~_ ~6_
25X1A
Supplement to:
Responsive to:
This UNEVALUATED INFORMATION is supplied for the possible interest of your analysts.
It does not warrant dissemination 25X1A
25X1X
1. From the point of view of the average Spanish citizen (exclusive of the Falangists,
clergy, and aristocracy), the US is maintaining and abetting fascism by its economic
support of the Franco Government and its more recent agreements relative to the es-
tablishment of US air bases in Spain. To them, the main objective of World War II
was to eliminate tyrannical governments - specifically those of Hitler and Mussolini.
They cannot therefore understand why the US takes actions supportive of the Franco
fascist tyranny. They believe that each day of US assistance cements Franco and
his regime more firmly in the saddle, and their resentment and disappointment in the
US increase correspondingly. They feel that in case of another European war, all
arms given to Spain will be used against the US or at least contrary to many US
interests and expressed socio-political objectives. If possible, the Spanish people
would seize whatever arms they could in a crisis and use them to overthrow Franco
25X1Xif possible, and against the US if we interfered.
2. The Spaniards believe US aide is largely personal aid to Franco, in that
it will be largely used for a big military force and military roads. There will be
none of the industrial development which they consider would benefit Spain and its
people in general much more by strengthening the employment base. Therefore, they
are not in favor of US economic aid, for they believe it will accrue mainly to Franco
and the feudal "estraperlista" surrounding him; government syndicates and monopolies
25X1X will benefit, but not the people.
3. The Spaniards and intellectuals as well as members of the working
class were included, are anti-fascists. They say that in their opinion 90 per cent'
of the Spanish people share this basic political viewpoint. As one Spaniard put
it: "We live:, one-half our lives pretending" /that the Franco regime is acceptable?
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CONFIDENTIAL
SECURITY INFORMATION
RETURN TO CIA.
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Approved For Release 1999/09/10 : CIA-RDP83-00423R001001400001-4
 Approved for Release 1999/09/10 : CIA-RDP83-00423R001001400001-4
CONFIDENTIAL/US OFFICIALS ONLY/SECURITY INFORMATION
- 2 -
25X1X
they are also anti-Communist but may be driven to
Communism in despair and with the false hope it will free them from Franco's
dictatorship. If the democratic nations fail them by further entrenching
-Falangist and clerical rule, they feel they will have to turn to the USSR.
"We would rather be Communists than fight for Franco."
4. The poverty-and miserable living conditions to be found in Spain are hard to
believe unless you see them. Some families live in caves, five to eight people
per small hovel. In Barcelona, in las Barracas (Montjuich y alreredire de Barcelona)
three or four families can be found living in three or four rooms. Wages are too
low to permit self improvement (eg 125 pesetas/wk for a laborer working 10-14
hrs/day; 600 - 1200 pesetas/mo for a public employee or civil servant; 2-5,000
pesetas/mo for judges, public officials, and university professors ). Small boys
eight years old can be found running elevators from 6 PM to 1 AM in the early
morning, with ten minutes rest at 11 PM. The are labor laws supposedly outlawing
such employment, but like everything else they are book rather than practical (ie
25X1X effective) laws. A number of Spanish women prayed that they would
not have children, for they did not wish them to have to live in Spain as it is
today. Poor children never go to school.
25X1 X5. The prices of living necessities are as follows,(These
are prices for the general public; clergy, military personnel and other privileged
groups can buy at a discount - Economatos):
Pesetas
US$
Apartment
(5 rooms, no heat, no elevator)
Apartment
(7 rooms, heat, elevator)
goo-f500/Mo
2-3000/Mo
Man's suit
1200-3000
32-78
Pair shoes
250-600
6.35 - 15.50
Kilo meat
4o-50
1.10 - 1.35
Kilo bread,
5
15$
Dozen eggs
20-30
Kilo rice or other grain
12
Kilo bacon
100-120
Kilo chicken
50-70
1.25-
Kilo sugar
11
280
Liter milk
3.5 - 4
13$
Liter cooking oil
12-15
35-400
Kilo butter
6o
1.51
Kilo fruits and vegetables
5-30
15-1+0$
(varying by season)
Kilo fish
15-30
4o-9o?
(varying by season)
CONFIDENTIAL/US OFFICIALS ONLY/SECURITY INFORMATION
Approved For Release 1999/09/10 : CIA-RDP83-00423R001001400001-4