O Estado oculto - Repositorio Institucional da USC - Universidade ...

3. Returning under such circumstances, the King would be placed in an
impossible political position. There would be Leftist agitation throughout Spain, and the
King would be identified with the forces of reaction, particularly if he tried to utilize his
authority to maintain order. March asserts the Monarchy would not last more than three
months, and that its final demise would initiate a period of unchecked chaos and
anarchy throughout Spain.
4. To prevent this turn of events, March recommends Anglo-American
indorsement of a plan to establish a constitutional monarchy in Spain by previous
agreement between the parties of the moderate Right, headed by Gil Robles and those
of the Left, excluding the Communists. This agreement would provide for the
establishment of a constitutional monarchy under which the King would be reduced to
the status of a figure-head and the government entrusted for the present and probably
for many years to come to a Leftist coalition with the Right, assuming the role of the
parliamentary opposition. The first step in achieving this change in the Spanish political
structure would be the establishment of a provisional military government, probably
headed by General Aranda or even by General Orgaz, a government which would invite
the King to return with the provision that he accept in full the constitution previously
approved by the aforementioned groups. The provisional government would hold
general elections for a Cortes which would assume the political direction of the country.
With a Leftist government under a constitutional monarchy, March feels that order and
unity could be maintained within Spain.
5. March stated that if a republic were established instead of a constitutional
Monarchy, it would rapidly disintegrate into three separate and independent republics
(i.e., the Spanish Republic, Catalan Republic, and Basque Republic) and that the unity
of Spain would be permanently shattered. March feels that national separatism is the
shoal upon which Spanish republicanism inevitably flounders.
6. March asserted that Gil Robles was in fundamental agreement with him in
respect to Spain’s political future, but that Gil Robles felt that his Rightist group should
play a more active role in both the provisional and constitutional governments through a
political coalition with the moderate Left.
7. With respect to Franco’s recent allegations of neutrality, March asserted that
Franco had wanted to enter the war but could not because
(a) Hitler ordered him to stay out.
(b) The political situation and public sentiment within Spain were such that
MY [?] COMMENT:
Franco could not risk entering the war.
The principal obstacle to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in
Spain is the strong popular sentiment, particularly among the urban proletariat, against
a Resotration [sic], no matter how constitutionally limited the monarch might be. Leftist
political leaders assert that even should they be convinced of the desirability of a
513