line with the political set-up of capitalist democracy.
The big question in this country is when this veteran enemy of the Spanish working class will touch down in Britain. Press reports a few weeks ago, in informed capitalist journals like the Financial Times and the Economist, talked about his arrival in the middle of February. More recently the Daily Express (28 January) carried a story claiming that Areilza was still waiting for an invitation from the Labour Government. But reports from inside Spain persist that he will be in Britain within the next few weeks.
Part of the explanation for this confusion is to be found in the Express story. They point out that *likely repercussions from Labour's left wing' and a 'fear of public demonstrations are among the factors behind the Labour Government's hesitation.
This sums up a general problem: the Spanish capitalists are eager to join the Common Market, and the European capitalists are not ones to baulk at 'little' factors like the fascist origins and dictatorial character of the present regime. But there is still the problem of how the labour movement of Europe will react.
Phoney That is why the Spanish Government has been so busy talking about "reform", in an effort to put on an 'acceptable face of dictatorship' for the European workers movement This manoeuvre has met with some success. Already Areilza has been able to visit France and Germany, and get quite a warm welcome from their governments.
The next stage is a little trickier, however. The phoney liberal' image of the Spanish Government is badly tarnished after its repression of the recent workers' upsurge, and after the pathetic reform package put forward by the Spanish Prime Minister last week.
In a speech which even the Times was forced to describe as less liberal than the one made when he first became Prime Minister in 1973 (while Franco was still running the show), Arias Navarro offered only tiny concessions, and specifically ruled out any further release of political prisoners and any move towards tolerating free trade unions.
It is in this situation that Areilza is now due to visit Italy wnere there is a deep anti-fascist consciousness among the working class which has already expressed itself in massive solidarity actions with the Spanish struggle and Britain, where there is a Labour Government in office.
Perhaps Italy might be written off as a lost cause, but Areilza must pay a call to Britain if he is to satisfy the wishes of the Spanish capitalists, for Britain is one of the key powers in the EEC, and embodies the popular notion of a democratic country among the Spanish middle class.
The Labour Government is certainly ready to help out. Their social democratic counterparts in the West German Government have already given Areilza the nod, and the Labour Government laid the basis for taking the same course The Foreign Minister of the Spanish dictatorship, Jesus Maria de Areilza, is currently on a jaunt around the capitals of the Common Market pushing Spain's application for 'associate membership' in the Common Market. This would link the Spanish economy into that of the EEC countries, without requiring any sort of immediate changes to bring the Spanish dictatorship into when it sent a representative to the funeral of Franco and the coronation of King Juan Carlos. The only thing holding it back is fear of the response by the workers movement.
Despite the "liberalisation', Francisco Tellez was arrested for takina part in a picket. i nree days later ne was released and taken to hospital-in this condition.
He was covered in blood bruises from a severe beating with a rod and a rubber After three days in a Spanish Committee). barracks ACtIOn GrOUD! Demonstrate to keep Franco's henchman out of Britain Saturday, 14 February London: Mass picket of Downing Street, noon-2 pm (organised by IMG, IS and ICL Manchester: 'Break all Links with Francoism'. Assemble 11.30 am Oxford Road, Glasgow: Mass picket of Iberian Airlines. 10 am onwards (organised by Spanish Hull: Friday 13 February. Picket of Spanish vice-consulate Mytongate, noon-2 pm (sponsored by Botanic Ward Labour Party and Hull University Students Union).
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