DR. DAVID ANSWERS HIS CRITICS Protestant Support of the Nationalists
The suggestion that " a period of dictatorship of some kind is necessary in Spain," is made by the Bishop of Liverpool (Dr. A. A. David) in this month's issue of the Liverpool Diocesan Review.
Dr. David writes a short editorial refuting criticism of the observations which he made after visiting Las Palmas in August, when he expressed the view that there was more hope for Spain from a Nationalist than from a Government victory.
Franco's Progress in Social Reform "1 based this opinion," he writes in the Review, " partly on the positive achievements in social reform of Franco's administration in the Grand Canary, and also on the ground that the present Spanish Government, being a loose and unstable coalition, is not likely to be more successful after than it was before Franco's rebellion.
" A number of comments have been made on this opinion in the Press or sent to me through the post. I find that those which were adverse to it are based on one governing consideration. It is that the Republican Government in Spain ie democratic, and, therefore. that all believers in democracy ought to defend and support it.
Is Russia Democratic?
" But democracy ' is a word which stands for different things in different countries. Is Russia a democracy in our sense of the word?
" I doubt whether a stable combination of so-called ' democratic ' nations against those who are governed on some other principle is possible. And even if it were, would such an ' axis ' bring us nearer peace? What Europe needs is free opportunity for every nation to work out its own political salvation without interference from the rest.
" There Must Be a Dictatorship" "In Spain it seems clear that when the civil war is over there must be a period of dictatorship of some kind before the Spanish people can win freedom to govern themselves.
"In any case we who watch that tragic struggle must hope, not for a triumph there of our own ideology. whatever it may be, but for an issue which will build up the welfare of Spain itself."