852.00/7874
The Spanish Chargé (De la Casa) to the Secretary of State
The Chargé d’Affaires of Spain presents his compliments to His Excellency the Secretary of State and has the honor to transmit to His Excellency, in the name of the Spanish Government, the text of the political declaration made by it. This statement of policy is made at a time when propaganda with purposes of creating confusion among ill-informed minds, tries to place the Spanish Government in an unfavorable position and points out to the world the falsehood of such propaganda when, on the contrary, its victory on the political and military grounds is approaching. The Spanish Government also deems it necessary to make known to all Spaniards, wherever they may be, what its regime will be after order has been restored in the country and which will be the relations of the Spanish Republic with foreign countries
The declaration reads as follows:
For the information of its countrymen and of the world, the Government of the National Union, which has the confidence of all parties and labor organizations of Loyalist Spain and which represents all Spanish citizens under constitutional legality, solemnly declares that its war aims are:
- First.—To assure the absolute independence and integrity of a Spain which will be completely free of all foreign domination of whatever character and origin, with its Peninsular and Insular territory and possession intact and safe from any attempt at dismemberment, [Page 182] alienation or appropriation and keeping the protectorate assigned to Spain by international treaties while these are not modified with the participation and consent of Spain. Conscious of the duties imposed by its traditions and history, Spain will tighten the bonds created by common roots and by the feeling of universality which has always characterized our people with countries speaking the same languages as Spain.
- Second.—To free our territory from foreign military forces which have flocked to Spain since July 1936 and who under pretext of giving technical advice intervene or try to dominate Spanish economic and juridical life for their own profit.
- Third.—To establish a people’s Republic represented by a vigorous state based on purely democratic principles and which will exercise its action by means of a Government endowed with the complete authority given by popular vote under universal suffrage and which will be the symbol of a firm executive power at all times depending on the directions and designs marked out by the Spanish nation.
- Fourth.—The juridical and social structure of the Republic will be the work of the national will freely expressed in a plebiscite to be held as soon as the struggle is over and carried out with unrestricted, and unlimited guarantees and with the assurance that all who participate will be protected against all possible reprisals.
- Fifth.—Respect for all regional liberties without impairing Spanish unity. Protection and encouragement of the development of the personality and characteristics of the different peoples which compose Spain as is imposed by a historical fact and by law. Far from meaning separation of the country, this means greater solidarity among its different elements.
- Sixth.—The Spanish State will guarantee citizens full social and civil rights as well as liberty of conscience and will assure the free exercise of religious creeds and practices.
- Seventh.—The State will guarantee legally and legitimately acquired property within the limits set by supreme national interest and the protection of production elements without lessening individual initiative. It will prevent the acquisition of property from becoming exploitation of citizens subjugating the community and deviating the controlling action of the State in economic and social life. It will encourage the development of small property, will guarantee family patrimony and will encourage all means that will lead to the economic, moral and racial improvement of the producing classes. The property and legitimate interests of foreigners who have not aided the rebellion will be respected, and the Government will examine, with a view to indemnifying, harm involuntarily caused in the course of the war. The Government of the Republic has already created the commission of foreign reclamations for this purpose.
- Eighth.—Profound agrarian reform that will liquidate the old aristocratic, semi-feudal proprietorship which has always been the greatest obstacle for the development of the country’s great possibilities. A new Spain resting upon a broad and solid farmer-democracy owning the land it tills.
- Ninth.—The State guarantees the rights of the worker through an advanced social legislation in accord with the specific necessities of Spanish life and economy.
- Tenth.—The cultural, physical and moral betterment of the race will be a primordial and basic preoccupation of the State.
- Eleventh.—The Spanish Army, at the service of the nation, will be free from a tendency to a hegemony of politics, and the people will be brought to see in it a sure instrument for the defense of their liberty and independence.
- Twelfth.—The Spanish Government reaffirms its constitutional doctrine of renunciation of war as an instrument of national policy. Loyal to its pacts and treaties, Spain will support and continue to follow the policy symbolized by the League of Nations. As a Mediterranean power it claims its place in the concert of nations and is always ready to cooperate in collective security and in the general defense of peace. Spain will develop and intensify all its possibilities for defense.
- Thirteenth.—Full amnesty for all Spaniards who desire to cooperate in the immense work of reconstruction and aggrandizement of Spain after the bitter struggle which stains our soil with blood, where the ancient virtues of heroism and idealism of our race have been reborn. Whoever fails to suppress and smother all thoughts of revenge and reprisal for the sake of the common task and of the sacrifice which all Spain’s children must make will be guilty of treason to the destiny of our country.