A Hint from the Caudillo

Over the past 26 years, Francisco Franco's broadcast to his nation has become as much a part of Spanish year-end tradition as eating grapes in rhythm to the strokes of midnight in Madrid's Puerta del Sol. Last week the speech carried special interest. Many Spaniards hoped that Franco, now age 73, would indicate his answer to Spain's biggest question: After Franco, what?

They had to listen carefully. Looking spry and fit in a dark grey business suit, the Caudillo told a nationwide radio and television audience that he wanted peace on earth, social progress, economic advancement and Gibraltar--where, he warned, Spain was "not disposed to tolerate passively" continued British rule. He also advised Spanish girls to stay in Spain instead of risking "exploitations, swindles and abuses in big foreign cities."

But he was not yet ready to disclose details of a proposed new constitution, now being drawn up by a panel of Spanish jurists, which presumably would spell out the nation's future form of government. The closest Franco would come to the topic that fascinated all Spaniards was: "We propose to renew and accelerate our institutional process to establish those measures which, with the general consent and within the spirit of our traditions and the events of our day, must serve to guarantee in the future the continuity of our work."

With the general consent? This seemed to suggest that a referendum--the first national vote since 1947--might be arranged during 1966 to give the Spanish people a say on the future pattern of Spain. Underscoring the possibility was the announcement last week that a new census of voters will be taken by April 1.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.