Soviet Deals with Franco?

The scan: The Week v1 no6.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive, opens at this page)

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Moscow and Madrid exchanged now year greetings this yoar. The final barrier to ths restoration of relations is believed to be a 65@ ton hoard of gold, worth £200 Ifillion, shipped to Russia by the Republe icans. Fronco insists on its return, The Russians say that it was spent on arms for the Republic, The Daily Iiail reports that it is possible that the Russians will ecknowledge the debt and settle it in crude oil. If the Soviet leaders do go through with this support of Franco's shaky economy it will be another example, following hard on the invitation to the fascist so-called trade unions, of their subordi-~ nation of the Spanish revolutionary forces to the convenience of their diplomatic manoeuvring. ‘inquiries to the Soviet Embassy might help establish an atmosphere from which Soviet opponents of such deals could draw encouragement. It could do no harm if trade union branches and constituency labour parties, to say nothing of Communist Party branches, were to write in for information.