Facing the Future

At long last, Spain's Francisco Franco faced up to the fact that he is mortal. For 25 years, the Spanish dictator has stubbornly clung to all the reins of power and refused publicly to designate a successor. Last week, giving way to growing pressure for change and acknowledging his 69 years, Franco did what few dictators have the nerve to do: selected an heir apparent. His choice: tough, crusty Captain General Agustin Munoz Grandes, 66, chief of the Spanish General Staff and an old friend of El Candillo's (see box). Munoz Grandes was named to the newly created post of Vice Premier and delegated to take charge of Spain's government in the event of Franco's "vacancy, absence, or illness."

The move enhances the future return of the Bourbons to the Spanish throne, and assures that the army will be able both to maintain its own interests and preserve order on Franco's death. Franco envisages Munoz Grandes, who suffers from both ulcers and heart trouble, not as the future chief of state but only as the head of a caretaker government backed by the strongly monarchist army. "If Franco should die or suddenly fall ill," explained one Franco aide, "Munoz Grandes will be at the head of the government dignitaries waiting at the airport to greet either Don Juan or his son, Prince Juan Carlos--whichever the regime chooses as successor." Should a mishap befall Franco in the next five or six years, his successor will almost certainly be Don Juan; after that,Juan Carlos will have a chance.

Munoz Grandes' appointment was only one change in Franco's first major Cabinet overhaul since 1957. With Spain's application pending for association with the Common Market and with the growing demand for social and economic liberalization in the wake of last spring's crippling strikes, Franco purged the Cabinet of seven reactionary old ministers. The important replacements are younger than their predecessors and more oriented to the economic and political reforms of the New Europe. They include:

>Manuel Fraga Iribarne, 40, Minister of Information, who is expected to ease Spain's press censorship through the completion of a long-delayed and less restrictive new press law. He replaces narrow-minded Gabriel Arias Salgado, 58, who has rigidly suppressed the news ever since the Civil War and has regarded all writers and intellectuals with suspicion.

-- Gregorio Lopez Bravo. 38, Minister of Industry, a brainy, highly trained industrialist who, at the age of 31, was manager of one of Spain's biggest shipbuilding firms. He replaces Joaquin Planell, 71, who has consistently resisted liberal, free-enterprise reforms.

-- Jesus Romero Gorria, 45, Minister of Labor, an advocate of higher wages and better bargaining rights for Spain's working force. He replaces Fermin Sanz Orrio, 60, who was fired after letting the Asturias strikers get out of hand by refusing to take any steps to end the walkouts.

The Cabinet reshuffle demonstrated Franco's dexterity in dealing himself a new hand that both strengthened his position and at least partly quieted his critics. His new Cabinet is probably the strongest he ever had. At week's end, the government issued a statement calling for greater economic progress and stressing Spain's willingness to "participate more actively in the process of European economic cooperation and political cohesion." Satisfied with his shifts, Franco let it be known that he would soon meet Don Juan somewhere outside the country to discuss the Cabinet changes and the succession with Spain's presumptive future king.

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