Spain and the world 1936

My own opinion is that pure Anarchism should be the ultimate ideal to which society should continually approximate.

BERTRAND RUSSELL. (Roads to Freedom.)

VOLUM E

1 , NUM BER 1.

DECEMBER

11th,

PRICE 2 d — U .S .A . 5 CENTS.

1936.

JULY - NOVEMBER 1936 IN SPAIN

BUENAVENTURA DURRUTI

Is it too late to mend a grievous mistake ?

Life and Death of a hero of the Revolution

A HISTORY

OF

FIVE

VITAL

MONTHS

European Powers make a mistake THE

ONLY

PEACEFUL

SOLUTION

As things are now— four months after the treacherous rising o f the Spanish generals (July 17th)— not a few unbiased persons in the Western neutral countries may begin to see to what extent they underrated, and misunderstood the situation in the early months o f July and August, when with a little good will, helpfulness and fearlessness their countries might have contributed to a fair solution o f a problem which now assumes ugly aspects and uncontrollable proportions.

The situation in July was simply this: i radical government, the result o f a popular electoral victory in February last, was suddenly confronted by the outburst of a most carefully prepared conspiracy by almost all the officers o f the army and a portion of the Navy, both closely allied to fascist organisations, the militant elements, many monarchists, both A lfon »ists and Carlists, and influential people in industry and finance. T h e conspiracy had included in the first place relations with powerful fascists abroad, whether officially or otherwise, and had prepared plans for the imposition o f military dicM oahip, the crushing o f constitutional life and personal liberties to the greatest '-xtent.

The real fighting Ew of tk.t conspirators was the African army, which was, and is entirely ilien to the Spanish people. Th is army consists of enlisted Marocan natives moros and of nondescript Spanish and foreign elements, and the hired Spanish foreign legion (Tercio). From this began the meeting of July the 17th and the 18th, practically unknown to the population of Spaih, who were confronted on July 19th, by an attack on the part o f the local gar­ risons against all the governmental, m un­ icipal and working class districts, entering into a most intense battle with all who offered resistance, and enforcing their militaristic will upon all towns, especially by surprise attacks and cruelty, and seizing the latter on July 19th and on following days.

Only in about half the Spanish T e r ­ ritories was this terrific onslaught checked by immense popular effort. Malaga, {Wtagena Valencia, Barcelona, Madrid and Bilbao, and other great centres still hold out. Others like Saragossa, Cordoba, Granada and O viedo, were, or are be•ieged by the government forces. Only Irun, San Sebastian, T oled o were lost to the enemy, whilst Pampluna, the Carlist centre, Burgos, Valladolid, Seville and the Western towns from the neighbourhood of Gibralter to the north o f Galicia re­ mained in the hands o f the enemy, who crushed the initial Andalusian and G al­ ician resistance, ruthlessly destroyed Badajoz and also hold the Balearic and Can­ ary Islands. It is remarkable that one hears very little of the old Spanish army, whilst all the fighting seems to be done by the African troops— M oros and Tercio.

These could only be brought over to Europe, when by means o f bom bing air­ craft sent from the foreign fascist coun­ tries, the Spanish warships guarding the Straits had been scattered.

Then they were used against Malaga, Estrmadura (Badajoz), Irun and San Sebastian, T oled o and Madrid. Th u s it is clear that the rebels have acted all along as if they were foreign invaders, being armed with foreign •upplies, fighting with an army, o f M oors and hirelings and im posing their will wherever they can, by military terror.

Consequently they have been looked upon from the first hour as traitors and not a few officers w ho had been arrested Mood on trial as traitors and were shot as traitors. T hey had really nothing to say ,0 justify their conduct during these elaborate trials held in public court, from ‘he trials o f G oded and Fanjul in Bar­ celona and Madrid in August to that ot the son of Primo de Rivera held in Alicante in November. T h ey had wishe impose their will on the people ot Spain, but the latter refused to give up their freedom and bravely defended them•elves.

The question stands thus, and in all this there is not a jot o f communism, Russia and so on. It was and , a fascist raid, which met with no popular response, but took most dangerous pro­ portions owing to the irresponsible fore R elements engaged in it, with incalcu a foreign forces behind them, and to tne most cruel and desperate attitude ot tne conspirators, who saw before them «de the spoils of a whole country and Unlimited vengeance, and on the

side shame and a traitor’s death. This is not a “ civil war,” which presupposes honourable differences o f opinion. It is not even a fascist ascent or seizure o f power, as even such regrettable usurpa­ tions are based upon the action o f large bodies o f individuals brought together, organised and fanatized by persistent agitation. This stage was never reached by the Spanish fascists, who thrived but in hole and com er associations o f gilded youth, and could not show their faces without police protection.

There was m uch malignity shown by many, but they were not a political factor o f real con­ sequence. No, all the strength o f the enemy rested in the generals and their officers, who expected, owing to their quasi unanimity, to have a walk-ovcv, tl.c easiest o f victories, and then a long enjoy­ ment o f power on the ruins o f all the liberal and social aspirations o f the Spanish people. Theirs was a bid for power, like that o f a burglar who risks iimbs and life for a big haul. Maybe some o f them had guarantees for safety and were only tools o f a greater con­ spiracy; most o f them blundered into the ugly affair from sheer military cussedness, others from clerical fanaticism and bour­ geois and aristocratic pride. T hey are a poor lot in any case, and it would be folly to take them as representing any political wisdom or ideas: they brought about the most horrible mess and made things infinitely worse from the very beginning by indulging in dastard cruelty.

T h e great western countries have made a great mistake by not taking these traitors at their real value.

T hey represented nothing but themselves and their pride and covetousness, and everyone in Spain who was not an adept o f extremely re­ actionary opinions, or personally inter­ ested in the brutal repression and enslave­ ment o f a whole nation, was up against them in spirit, and wherever possible in arms. But it was palpably known to the casual observer, and so much more to governments disposing o f instant informa­ tion from many sources, that the mutiny o f nearly the whole army and part o f the navy left the government and the people in the tragic plight o f being almost unarmed and unable to procure new weapons on a large scale o f home fabrica­ tion, when every hour is precious and the mechanized army o f the enemy, disposing o f ample stores o f everything, advance rapidly and before all, entrench them­ selves in many important places, crushing all local resistance. It was possible for the heroic masses to check the advance, but they could not, with rifles and bare fists, dislodge the enemy from walled towns, fortresses and citadels. Such operations, which had the entire support o f the then existing government and many o f their regular armed forces, obviously required a quick supply o f war material from the recognised producers in other countries in the usual way o f goods quickly supplied for cash to authorised customers, which friendly governments always are— and Spain has not been involved in any o f the European wars since the time of Napoleon Spain has been invaded at the order o f the Holy Alliance (Russia, Prussia and Austria) in the nineteen-twenties by a French army which crushed the then Liberal Govern­ ment and re-established absolutism lay­ ing the fouhdations o f so much o f the coming trouble. Surely this black spot on nineteenth century history need not be a precedent for the renewed crushing of progressive hopes in the unhappy country by foreign powers. W hy then was the Snanish Government hindered in re­ arming when confronted by one treacher­ ous military mutiny? W ithout this inter­ ference the mutiny would have been put down within a few weeks, and general p ro g re ssiv e work in a peaceful country would now be well under way.

The reasons are twofold. One is the generally alleged great eare for peace— a peace which is bought by permitting anti­ social dark forces to lay hands on Ger­

many in 1933, on Austria in July, 1934, on Ethiopa since the autumn o f 1935, on Spain in July, 1936, not to speak of what happens in the Far East, where bit after bit of territory is fleeced from China, and what is fomenting day by day in France herself, in Belgium and other countries.

When such open plunder at last meets with fiery resistance, the remaining notenslaved countries do not welcome this, but do all to strangle this resistance, to help to deliver up a practically unarmed people to an African invasion o f Moors and nondescript hirelings.

What is prompting this counsel?— is it what one may politely call timidity, modesty, bashfulness, the wish to shirk painful diplomatic discussions, to evade hurting the feelings o f some irascible tyrants, who thus get everything they wish to have? Or is it the other fatal reason, namely, that all these “ neutral ” powers are glad and anxious to see freedom crushed in Spain, as a warning example to their own peoples and as expected profit to some of their capitalists, who may have financial interests in Spain?

Were these the main reasons or were really men, placed in responsible posi­ tions, so uninformed as to V swept away by the infamous press campaigns o f or­ ganised journalistic slander, such as just now made a victim much nearer to home, Roger Salengro, in the very centre o f French politics?

War is not averted by politics o f timid­ ity ; on the contrary it is being provoked by them. To speak quite plainly, if a •country wishes to wage war, she also wishes to make it at her own hour and under constellatioru favourable >nd, if possible, pre-arranged. “ Incidents ” are used as pretexts, when everything else is ready— otherwise they only serve as bluff. All important matters, tearing to pieces parts of the treaty of Versailles, arc taken in hand since last spring, and no war arises from it, nor from anything which Japan may do in the Far East, nor from Ethiopian, Egyptian, Palestine, Trak and other oriental affairs.

W hy then should just same war materials legi­ timately sold to Spain be given out as a vital matter for world’s peace?

This was and is simply preposterous. The in­ ternational situation was quite harmless in August, and the foreign fascist help was given to the generals at first in such a disguised way as to show the bad con­ science of the fascist powers. Then the papers puffed it up and by this, even­ tually, the “ prestige ” o f these powers was at stake, and then the masks were lifted. Then only, and not before, Russia began to help and now the Spanish prob­ lem, which was so very simple in July and August, is being tied up, carelessly and recklessly, with the whole Russian problem. This also, in our opinion, by no means implies war, but it gives to the “ neutrals ” a further pretext to be severe to the Spanish government, whom they consider the weaker side, and bow before the generals.

More victims, greater ruin and destruction are the re­ sult, but never mind— some appearance o f working day and night for peace are kept up, and that alone seems to count with statesmen nowadays.

Peace is impossible if the generals win, as it would imply that Spain and Portu­ gal, the Baleares, Spanish Morocco, Janger, the Canaries and Azores— all under the control o f Germany and I ta ly ; that means France open to aerial invasion from the Aragon plain and the Mediter­ ranean, and the Cape routes blocked for England.

Peace is unlikely if Russia wins, as the Spanish people are adverse to her unfree social system and would always be in a state of revolt, and as Russian mili­ tary power in the Peninsula would stimu­ late the Islamic and the whole Oriental coming revolts, and be considered intoler­ able by several great powers.

The only peaceful solution is the one which this very mutiny of July 17th, and the circumstances under which it parti­ ally succeeded, have made a matter of actuality to all progressive elements in Spain— namely, Federalism, political and social, fairly und fully realised in Spain, and eventually in Portugal, a country which for ten years is unable to speak up, smarting under a dictatorship.

The Catalan, the Aragon, the Basque, the Valencian, the Madrid autonomies exist or are shaping during the hard struggles, when the best men learn to know each other and how to co-operate, developing the local resources.

Under the heels of the generals none the less work is going on which will unfold as the Andalusian, Extremeños, Galician, Asturian, and other autonomies— territories self-governing and federating like the Swiss cantons and the North Ameri (continued in next column)

DED ICATED TO CAU SE OF LIBERTY AND JU STIC E It is with feelings of sorrow and despair that we here express our appreciation of BUENAVENTURA D U R R U T I, the anarchist, who was killed on the Madrid Front.

Little or nothing is known in this country o f this indefatigable man, whose whole life and soul were dedicated to the cause o f Liberty and Justice. But during the Revolution his name has been flashed all over the world, as the organiser and the inspiration o f the now famous D U R R U T I Column. Made up o f men of all nations and o f many different political ideas, the Durruti column has gone from one victory to another. W e shall never forget that Durruti was the conqueror of Fascism in Barcelona; that it was he who organised the Aragon Front which >s making progress every day in the direc­ tion of the Rebel stronghold o f Sara­ gossa; and that it was the D U R R U T I column with Durruti at the head o f it, which has succeeded in stemming the R ebel advance on Madrid.

GALLAN T M E T A L W ORKER This energy and faith which has no limits, is best described by Pierre Van Paasan writing for the “ Toronto Star.”

H e writes: “ Durutti, a syndicalist metal worker, is the man who led the victorious bayonet charge o f the People’s Militia on the stronghold o f the Fascist rebels at San Rafaele yesterday. Durutti was the first in the Hotel Colon in Barcelona, when that building which spewed death for thirty-six hours from two hundred win­ dows’, fell before the onslaught of the wellnigh bare-handed libertarians.

When a column is ready to drop with exhaus­ tion, Durutti goes to talk new courage into the men. When things go bad up Saragossa way, Durutti climbs aboard an aeroplane and drops down into the field o f Aragon to put himself at the head of the Catalonian partisans. Wherever you go it’ s Durutti and Durutti again whom you hear spoken o f as a wonderful man.”

One o f the few Communist papers to mention Durruti was the International Press Correspondence (5th Decem ber), and the writer, Hugh Slater, expresses our ideas on the Communist Party which ignores these men because they do not have the same political ideas. This spirit of intolerance towards other advanced thinkers, so typical of many Communists, will eventually result in their complete downfall. H e writes: S H O T TH ROUGH T H E B A C K Durruti, who was killed in Madrid on November 20th, was one o f the most

can States. Local conditions— territorial structure, land tenure, industries, tradi­ tional and newly acquired social mental­ ity— differentiate these territories, and to this will correspond new social arrange­ ments, generous and broad-minded. This ensemble will form a new Progressive Spain, another happy, peaceful Switzer­ land. There are dark corners in Switz­ erland, where reactionists reside un­ heeded. and so those of Spain might gather undisturbed in the valleys of old Navarre, the Carlist region o f Pamplana.

Anarchists, socialists, communists, re­ publicans, all would live in friendly em jlation, increasing their ranks according to their efficiency.

To help to bring this about, and to help its present protagonists, the valiant men, women and children o f Spain, to protect them against the treacherous in­ vasion— what else can be the task of selfrespecting progressive men at this hour?

For some time yet the States o f this Globe will be divided thus: normal nine­ teenth century countries— victims o f Fascism— States where well-meant, but unfree social methods prevail (Russia, Mexico— the only countries which openly help Spain)— and Spain, where, in parts at least, the freest methods are now in an experimental stage.

The world’ s future is being fought for here, as the old world ended for this country in treason and bloodshed unheard of.

Let everyone help the best of all good causes.

Barcelona, D ec. 1st, 1936.

NOTICE. Owing second

to

the

issue

W ORLD ”

Xmas

of

will be

24th December.

vacations

“ SPAIN on

sale

and

the the

Thursday,

famous Spanish anarchists.

H e died, typically, on the most dangerous sector o f the front. H e had stopped for a few minutes to speak to a crowd of militiamen who were returning from the most advanced positions. Immediately he got out of his car he was shot through the back from a small hotel in Montcloa. H e died immediately. “ Durruti’ s whole life was that o f a consistent and courageous anarchist. ^ H e first became prominent in the railway strike o f 1917, when he organised acts of sabotage on an extensive scale. During the course of the strike, locomotives were burned and stretches o f line and bridges were blown up. A fter the strike he was obliged to move to Asturias, where the anarchist movement was beginning to have considerable support. Durruti was active in building the anarchist organisa­ tion there.

His restless temperament took him, during this period o f his life, to Corunna, Bilbao, Santander and most o f the Northern towns. “ When the Republic was form ed in 1932, Durruti returned to Spain, and with Garcia Oliver (now Minister of Pro­ paganda) and Ascaso, played a leading part in building the C.N.T. in Barcelona.

Francisco Ascaso, Durruti’s greatest friend, was killed in action during the first days o f the fascist rising.

Now Durutti has also given his life in the fight against fascism.

Whether we agree or disagree with Durruti’s ideas, the fact remains that he Uvad a strictly princij*'»«J !‘? î H s wat an anarchist who died fighting as a discip­ lined member of the Spanish People’s Army. He had always been on the Leftwing o f the anarchist movement.

In 1932 he came into sharp conflict with the more moderate anarchist leader, Pestana, who was general secretary o f the C.N.T. at that time. Pestana was in favour of supporting the newly-formed Republican Government, while Durruti considered that it should be opposed with the greatest possible energy.”

In expressing our admiration and grati­ tude for the man that was D U R R U T I, we are remembering as well the thousands o f men and women who have also given their lives for their freedom.

It is an example to the world which will live for ever in the history of the W orkers’ struggle for Cultural and Material Emancipation.

To the brave woman who was his life companion, Emilienne Maurin, “ S P A IN and the W O R L D ” , extends its deepest sympathy.

THE VATICAN & REVOLUTIONS The Mouthpiece of the Pope A S U G G E S T IO N

TO

TH E

“ U N IV E R S E ” One reads in the “ O S SE R V ATO R E R O M A N O ,” mouthpiece of the Pope, the following interesting remark«: “ The situation in Spain, with due regard to the recent revolt, must be viewed in the following lig h t: in exercising its strict legality, the Spanish Government is not only in its right, but has carried out its duty. The nation has a right to be pro­ tected by its Government.

By failing to fulfil its duty o f punishing the rebels most severely, the Government would have assumed for itself the responsibility o f having prolonged the bloodshed.” “ This is the true doctrine correspond­ ing to the traditions o f the Catholic Church in its relations with Lay Govern­ ments. The duty o f the legal Govern­ ment to crush all revolts is indisputable, and all Catholics who are obedient to the wishes of their Church must uphold the Government in its struggle against all kinds o f revolts.” . . . This, however, was the opinion o f the Vatican, when, in 1934, the reactionaries crushed, with the aid o f the Foreign Legion, the rising of the miners in the Asturias!

Why did not the Church o f Rome remind its “ obedient Catholics ” o f these words printed in 1934? They should apply, as the Government o f Spain was “ legal I elected ” by the people early this year We suggest that the " U n i v e r s e ” which is always seeking the “ truth,” should prominently display these fine words of the Vatican instead of attempt ing to discuss political questions o f which it ignores even the base fundamentals.

SPAIN AND THE WORLD,

SPAIN and t h e W O RLD

Medical Aid Unit in Spain

Anti-Fascist Fortnightly T E M P O R A R Y O F F IC E S I

2 0 7 , GOSWELL ROAD, LONDON, E .C .l, ENGLAND. AD VERTISEM EN T RATES ON APPLICATIO N .

PRICE 2d.; FOR U.S.A., 5 CENTS.

SILENT WITNESSES INTRODUCTION OURSELVES

TO

In a world infested by corrupt politicians and in which the Church under the guise of piety and humility seminates its pro­ paganda of hatred and false patriotism; in a world kept in ignorance by the speculators ef the Church and the State, and deprived of its civil rights, whether under the mailed fists of Mussolinis and Hitlers or of so-called “ National Govern­ m ents," it is indeed comforting for those men and women who strive to live in a happy and free world, to witness the heroic fight waged by the Spanish people— intellectuals and workers alike— against the mercenaries and mis-guided followers of Franco and his clique.

It is a palpable example to all free­ thinkers of the world that the sense of freedom and justice lives above those egoistic conceptions of power, authority and military discipline which capitalistic nations strive to attain at the expense of the weaker members of society.

We have been silent witnesses of the rise of Fascism in Italy, Germany and Austria. We have seen those few liber­ ties, acquired only by much bloodshed and sacrifice, swept away by intolerant dictatorships which act by order of the privileged few.

We have been silent witnesses of the annihilation of culture and intellectuality.

In Italy a Benedetto Croce or a Salvemini imprisoned or exiled for being anti­ fascist: a Toscanini beaten with trun­ cheons by hooligans for refusing to poison his art with Fascist propaganda; a Matteotti bludgeoned to death for having exposed to the world the treachery and corruptness of Fascist methods. In Ger­ many, an Einstein, a Bruno Walter exiled as part of a racial “ clean up.” An Erich JMuhasm tortured and then murdered in a concentration camp; a Carl Von Ossietzki left to die a slow death, and only released from prison when in a desperate condition . . . these men are but few of the victims of Fascism in its campaign of extermination of the mind.

The Universities of those countries, once the focus of learning, have become the hot-bed of cretinism and obscene songs.

We are to-day silently witnessing the destruction of culture in Spain. We are watching it destroyed by illiterate and savage Moors, and a few sons of land­ owners and their following of the bourgeoise. We are aware of the support and material aid given by Germany, Italy and Portugal. Are we to remain silent? Are we to give a free hand to Fascism to wreak havoc in all Europe?

Non-Intervention A J ] I a

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4 1 ft d 1 4 ■j I

4 ■ I A I I * £ I V ^ A

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“ SPAIN and the W O R L D ” comes out at a period in the Revolution, when we could say with confidence that the loyalists are more than holding their own, were it not for the fact that the situation has become an international one which can bring the whole world into conflict.

The policy of non-intervention can be held responsible for this new aspect in the Civil War. Whilst politicians in this country and in France are congratulating themselves on having successfully stopped the export of arms— to the loyalists, of course— Germany and Italy are becoming ever more assertive in their actions and threats. The recent importation of mercenaries from Germany and Italy, estimated at 7,000 meni in all, has now made the Non-Intervention Committee ask themselves whether Volunteers should be forbidden from taking part in the fighting.

Once again the non-intervention Committee overlooks the difference be­ tween the Volunteers fighting for the workers’ forces and the “ Volunteers ” fighting in Franco’s forces. The latter’s forces were conscripted, the former came to fight for their ideal. Have we therefore reached a stage in human justice when we allow brave men, who wish to save the world from the yoke of a dictatorship, to be considered in the same light as those coerced by Fascists into fighting for a movement which promises nothing more than servility of the mind? “ SPAIN and the W O R LD ” appears in the defence of all those fighting for Liberty in Spainand in the World. It appears in defence of the oppressed toiling under dictatorships. “ Spain and the World ” is the mouthpiece of no political party, the defender of no Government.

It aims at a new Society in which the fate of the people will not be in the hands of a few parasites; a Society in which equality and solidarity will be the keynote to true happiness.

No dictatorship of the Capitalists. No dictatorship of the Workers. But Freedom in its fullest sense. Then, and then only, will there be World Peace and Prosperity.

A

DENIAL

OF

THE

“ U N IVER SE” STATEM ENTS

Testimony of a Woman Journalist

Referring to the Meeting held at the Albert Hall at which over £2,000 was collected, the “ Universe ” states that “ not one penny of that will be spent for the benefit of the wounded men of the anti-Red forces; all o f it goes to the Reds.”

It is true that the ambulances are put at the disposal o f the Government. The money is given on that condition, in the same way as the Universe unit is put at the disposal o f the good Christian mis­ sionary Franco. But in the case o f th*i Spanish Medical Unit no suffering man is refused assistance. Perhaps our remark will carry more weight if we quote from the pamphlet on the Unit published by the “ News Chronicle.”

A woman journalist records what she saw during 24 hours spent with the Unit:

AN E Y E -W IT N E S S ’ S ACCOUNT “ One of our patients towards evening was a Moor, taken prisoner from the rebels. This meant trouble, for some of the people in the village started grumb­ ling when they heard that a rebel Moor was going to be treated with the same care and attention as their own wounded.

Feelings run high in war, and it was difficult to convince the grumblers that a hospital cannot and ought not to bar anyone who is suffering. It is true, of course, that the Spanish Medical Aid has the support o f the National Council o f Labour in Britain and of the Inter­ national Federation of Trade Unions in E urope: it is situated behind the loyal lines and its main purpose is to assist the democratic forces.

But here was a human being in agony.

H e had been thrown from his horse four days before and had lain in the open ever since. His leg was broken and had an open wound, which was gangrened. How could we refuse to help him? An imme­ diate operation was necessary.

While preparations were being made for it, more villagers arrived to protest at the Moor being treated.

But there also arrived a message from the Divisional Commander of the Loyal M ilitia: “ Give Moorish prisoner all possible care and attention. ’ That silenced the critics and soon after­ wards the operation— amputation o f the leg— was performed.”

Can the “ Universe ” say the same thing about its Unit?

W e doubt it.

W ith the religious motives which are the inspiration of the “ Universe ” Unit we should have thought it fitting that their ambulances should be at the disposal o f both forces. After all, there are more Catholics fighting for the loyalists than for Franco, unless all the Moors and Foreign Legionnaires are the true Catholics!

Things Said = = Viscount Churchill, speaking at the Friends’ House (1 7 /1 1 /3 6 ): “ No one can tell me that this is a fight of one faction against another. This is a whole people fighting against a most brutal and cold-blooded attack. “ We cannot do too much to help the people of Spain.”

Mr. Vernon Bartlett, addressing an audience at the same meeting, said: “ Never in my life have I had such an intense conviction that the overwhelming majority of the people were on the one side, and a little clique of priests, aristo­ crats and officers on the other.”

H e also asked why, “ If the British Government could protest to the Spanish Government about the hostages in Madrid, why could it not protest to the rebels about the shooting in Badajoz? ” A t the same meeting, Sir Peter Chalm­ ers Mitchell said that what had fright­ ened the British Government more than anything else was the word Communist, but at the last election only eleven Com­ munists were elected in the whole o f Spain. The Anarchists and Syndicalists were even less Red than the trade union­ ists, and they disliked the original Bol­ shevists as profoundly as they disliked Fascists. Nothing was further from the truth than that Republican Spain was fighting with Red money against the civilisation o f the Western world.

A t the big meeting held at the Albert Hall on the 29th November, in aid of the Spanish Medical Aid Unit, Dr. Addison asked his audience: “ Surely we have not sunk so low, or become so poor in spirit before the brayings of a bully, that we hesitate to care for the sick and the wounded? ” “ The horrors of cold, snow and rain were adding to the victims’ sufferings,” said Dr. Addison, adding, “ The call to us to-night is to help— to lend what aid we can to the sick and wounded, whoever they are.”

FRIDAY,

DECEMBER

BRITISH M.P.s

11th,

1936.

IN

SPAIN

UNANIMOUS EXPRESSIONS OF SYMPATHY FOR SPANISH PEOPLE British

Campaign

against Intervention

PRO M ISES BY B R IT IS H M EM BERS of P A R L IA M E N T The Generalitat de Catalunya com­ ments on the British Commission’s visit to Barcelona and the Madrid front in its Bulletin No. 101 in the following terms:— A Commission of the British Parliament has actually come to visit^ Spain.

In their honour a banquet was. given by the Minister of War last Sunday. After this the Commission visited the battle­ fields. They expressed their utmost ad­ miration for the valour, courage and intel­ ligence with which our militia has brought to an end operations on these fronts.

They are convinced that the sons of this nation are struggling to save Europe from the horrors of fascism.

W e were extremely gratified by the favourable impression that the visit to the Madrid front has produced upon the British representatives.

The attitude expressed by the representatives, a definite feeling o f sympathy for the hardships Spain is going through in the revolution, has made us feel that we may expect a change in the former attitude o f Great Britain.

A nation that feels so profoundly the love for liberty in its own borders, which has at all times been a secure asylum for the revolutionaries of the entire world, offering protection to those'who were per­ secuted by their absolutist governments, must be on our side.

S Y M P A T H Y FRO M BRITAIN Sympathy from Britain would especi­ ally interest us. Partial information and the fact that the Spanish Ambassador to London was of a monarchistic mentality — he was chosen by the Minister o f State, Señor Barcia— and had to be replaced in the first hours of the new government because he was proven to be a secret agent o f Juan March and certain inter­ ested international fascist nations, have had a bad influence in British diplomatic spheres. The sympathy of the Press and general publk opinion had been removed from the Spanish revolution, which condi­ tion, fortunately, is beginning to be recti­ fied to-day.

The deputies have been presented with actual facts full o f horror ; destruction wreaked by German and Italian aviators on the most notable buildings in Madrid, which have been torn down from the roofs to the basement; the destruction of the Prado Museum, the National Likv rary, and monuments o f every character —all those things which were the greatest artistic treasures and guarded by Spain with great pride.

D ESTRU C TIO N — A S S A S S IN A ­ TION— M U TILATION Only hordes of savages could destroy all these great artistic and cultural works, murder and assassinate defenceless people. The mutilated bodies o f women, -children and old people and this destruc­ tion of an unfortified city which was the pride o f Spain— all these contributed to

Social

the horrible impressions and optmons formed by the British representatives.

These facts will facilitate their calling upon British public opinion to form a clear judgment o f the immense danger with which the existence of armed international fascism threatens all civilized countries.

They will realise that the situation created by the two abnormal countries, Germany and Italy, has brought sad moments to the economic and social life o f Europe, as well as a crisis o f the whole capitalistic regime.

The consequences of the visit o f the Parliamentarians to the Madrid front must be obtained without delay.

The Spanish people, who are struggling so valiantly for their liberty, appreciate this visit, and will not forget, in their fight to conquer fascism, the moral and mate­ rial help that the great British democracy may lend us.

But Britain must also take into account that it will be due to the Spanish forces that she will be saved.

England is to-day faced with a situa­ tion similar to that o f the Napoleonic period. W e feel sure that we will not fail now, any more than we failed then, to receive the sympathy o f democratic Great Britain.

A N O N -P ART Y CO M M ISSIO N W e can only hope that the Spanish people will not be disappointed once more by the Government’s policy. There can no longer be the excuse that the ruth­ less murders by Franco’ s forces are merely the work o f imaginative minds, nor that they are reports o f members of the Labour party, as in the Commission are Conservative M.P.s.

W e must all manifest our disgust at the Government’s apathy towards a friendly Government, and through the organizations and individually force them to take steps to change their policy, which is only beneficial to the Fascist forces.

“ N E U T R A L ITY AND CRIM E ” On Sunday, November 29th, John McGovern, M .P., and John McNair, Sec­ retary o f the Independent Labour Party, addressed large crowds o f workers in Barcelona.

McGovern declared that neutrality was a monstrous crime, the effects of which he had seen amply demonstrated during his visits to the Madrid fronts, whither he had been escorted by responsible members of the C.N.T. H e promised the Spanish people that he and his asso­ ciate would exert the very greatest press­ ure inside the English Parliament to change the non-intervention attitude.

McNair promised to travel over the length and breadth o f Great Britain mak­ ing speeches and raising a campaign for the cessation o f non-intervention.

He would make the English workers realise that the interests o f their Spanish brothers were their own interests. “ When the English people are told the truth about Spain,” he said, “ they will not be able to remain neutral any longer.”

Revolution Catalonia

in

THE REALISATION OF AN IDEAL Achievements of a determined people The complete quelling of the revolt in ‘Catalonia having been accomplished in such a short space of time at the begin­ ning o f the Revolution, it has been possible for the intellectuals, technicians and workers to bring about the Social Revolution, the proportions of which have never been previously witnessed in the m odem world. These men and women o f Catalonia have shown the world what a determined people can do towards realizing an ideal which grants all human beings the same rights to live and the same opportunities to enjoy the pleasures o f life.

The results achieved within four months have amazed intellectuals and advanced thinkers in the whole world, and even the correspondents of the Bourgeois Press who would have been only too glad to be able to announce the complete failure o f the new system. As it is, work has been collectivised; the workers are at last treated as being important contributors to the welfare o f a people and treated with the same respect and consideration as the technicians.

W e are at long last witnesses, for the first time since the Industrial Revolution, o f man being master of the machine. In the rest of the world, save Russia, machine is master o f man. It is true that it has succeeded in alleviating man’s work, but it has succeeded, thanks to the minority who call themselves Capitalists (and some­ times pass as philanthropists) in dis­ pensing with man’s labour, which under the present system means unemployment and starvation.

In a world o f plenty, thousands are l -i “ ra®8’ anc* millions are starving whilst food is being destroyed to keep up the prices so that a privileged minority may comfortably indulge in the worst of vices.

Sir John Orr, a recognised authority on nutrition states, in his book “ Food, Health and Income,” that in this country] 4* million people must exist on 4 / - a week for food per head, and that 9 mil­ lions have 9 /- a week at their disposal

for the purchasing o f food. And yet this country is one o f the most prosperous o f countries ranking third in Europe according to the figures published in the second volume o f “ L ’année Sociale du Bureau International du Travail,” with regard to the purchasing power o f a work­ ing man!

T h e standard o f living in Spain has always been lower than in this country, and the peasants, and workers, unlike the unemployed o f Wales (who are resting on their laurels after the King’s visit and expecting the National Government to treat them as human beings), have helped themselves, willing to lay down their lives rather than continue under a tyranny which would crush the little progress made during the early months of this year. In Catalonia Valencia and in a few more regions, they have succeeded, and though they are proceeding with the work o f reconstruction, they are also carefully preparing the defence of these lands won at the expense of so many lives.

W O R K E R S ' AND TECHNICIANS IN ACC OR D T h e great work done by all in buildine L , i eWT:SOr eîy nhaS been Siven little space in the English Press. We therefore pro­ pose to publish in our newspaper a series o f articles which will deal with the organ­ ization and results already obtained in Catalonia under the system o f the collec­ tivisation o f industry and agriculture.

1 he success of this system is indisputable.

We learn from the workers’ Press in Cata­ lonia that workers and technicians alike are in perfect accord, and that to assure the success o f the Revolution factory workers are voluntarily working many hours overtime.

3 Are not all these facts an incentive to au lovers o f human justice and freedom to agitate and help in favour o f the workers of Spain, so that Franco and his hordes o f M oors shall not succeed, with aid from his fascist allies, in crushing by a mighty blow this noble work by the pioneers of a true C IV IL IZ A T IO N ?

Fascist Journa­ list Prisoners VIEW VICTIMS OF MADRID AIR RAIDS Bodies of Women Children RESU LTS " M IL IT A R Y

and

O F F A S C IS T O PE RAT IO N S "

The fascist journalists belonging to the “ Aragon H erald,” whose capture * e described a few days ago, have been taken to see some o f the results of the fascist military operations, which were said by their Press to have given “ excellent military results.” They were taken to the mortuary and the cemetery and shown the bodies o f the women and child victims o f the recent Madrid air-raids.

They were also made to visit the ho*. pitals and interview the women, children and old people, who have been wounded by the fascists’ attacks on the civil population. They saw the ruin caused by the enemy cannons to the streets and buildings o f Madrid, and the damage done to the hospitals, etc.

The journalists, among whom is Manuel Casanova, the editor o f the “ Aragon H erald,” were shocked by those sights and confessed that the information which reached them in the rebel camp made no mention o f attacks o f this kind, and only reported that the military centres had been bombed.

These journalists are now under the protection of the Madrid Defence Junta, at whose hands they receive considerate and polite treatment, and will be shown the organisation o f the militias and the way the new order o f life here is being run.

The false information published in “ L* M atin,” the French newspaper, concerning the shooting of Manuel Casanova goes once more to show the lies spread abroad by foreign journalists with pro-fascist opinions.

MISTAKEN INTERNATIONAL POLICY Attitude of France and Britain A

LESSON

FROM

SPAIN

T h e attitude which France and Great Britain have adopted on the international problem created by the fascists, has placed them in a situation which is daily becom­ ing more involved and no one can determine what the consequences may be.

T hey may find themselves in the same difficulties as Spain if no rapid precau­ tions are taken.

With every moment that passes the darkness o f the international horizon is growing thicker.

Everything indicates that the fascists will gain influence in the European governments if they are not stopped in time.

Interviews and conferences continue.

Mussolini’s emissary, Count Ciano, is covering^ the fascist countries in order to gain points o f contact for a concerted effort to smash the Spanish revolutionary movement. In the case o f a fascist defeat the governments o f fascist countries will prevent, by armed force, any manifesta­ tion o f proletarian soliditary with the Spanish workers.

R E V O LT OF F A S C IS T ELEM ENTS W e are living through troubled times.

A revolt of the fascist elements in those democratic countries which are still left may occur at any time now.

It is incomprehensible that th e’ demo­ cratic states cannot see the dangers to which the non-interventionist policy is leading them. Th e attitude which they have adopted is bound to lead towards I war, which will exterminate all hope of liberty in Europe.

In France the “ Croix de Feu ” have provoked with their infamous and calum­ nious campaign the death o f Roger Salengro, the Socialist Minister of the Interior. This shows that they are only awaiting the orders o f international fas­ cism to rise in arms as they did in Spain, in order to crush the right to liberty and the revolutionary possibilities of the French nation.

V IT A L P R IN C IP L E S A T STAKE I f the governments representing the liberty that the Spanish people are de­ fending could only realize what principles are at stake in this struggle between pro­ gress and reaction, they would take action to prevent the prolongation o f this mis­ interpretation and its terrible consequence* for the whole o f Europe.

Spain’s painful experience should serve as a good lesson for France and Britain, and they should profit by it instead of treating this problem with lukewarm political conferences in the hope of thereby “ preventing a war.” The posi­ tions adopted by France and Great Britain show them surrounded by dangers and uncertain o f what route to choose to find a way out; this is as much as to say that they will avoid a pitfall only to stumbl* onto a precipice, from whence there i* no escape. Both France and Britain can avoid a war by stopping the fascists no* from further advances and thus prevent­ ing the destruction of humanity. That is the only way out o f the danger. But they must act now. Later it might be too late.

I I I I 1 i I I [ I I I I [ I I I [ I I § I I I [ I I I I I I I I j

I

SPAIN AND THE WORLD,

The Social Revolution in Spain

FRIDAY,

DECEMBER 11th,

3

1936.

An Answer

Who are the Anarchists?

UNPREJUDICED

OPINIONS

ON

THE

SPANISH

TO

MR.

SITUATION

ECO N O M IC RECONSTRUCTION OF CATALONIA Collectivization of Industry and Commerce D E T A IL S

OF

N EW

1. Details of the Decree regarding Collec­ tivisation o f Industry and Commerce, and the control o f particular enterprises.

The Council o f the Generalitat de Catalogna which met to discuss the “ collectivisation ” of industry, issued the following decree which, owing to limited space, we have abbreviated and dealt with the most important sections only. “ A ll Industrial and Commercial enter­ prises are classified as follows: (a) Collectivized Enterprises, in which the responsibility o f administration falls on the workers themselve3, represented by a Committee. (b ) Private enterprises in which ad­ ministration is in the hands o f the proprietor or director, with the col­ laboration and control o f Workers’ controlling Committee.

I.

Collectivized Enterprises.

Art. 2 A ll enterprises which on the 30th June, 1936, employed more than 100 salaried workers shall be collectivized, as also those enterprises with less workers whose owners have been declared fascists, or who have abandoned the business.

Small enterprises may be collectivized according to the will of the workers and owners.

Art. 4. A ll the names included in the lists of an enterprise whether they be of intellectuals or manual labourers, shall be considered as workers.

Art. 5. A ll assets and liabilities o f the old enterprise shall be passed on to the collectivized one.

Art. 9. In all enterprises in which there are foreign interests, the Enter­ prise’ s Council and Workers’ Committee for Control shall communicate with the Economic Council, who will assemble the interested parties or their representatives to discuss the matter and to come to an understanding for the due safeguard of those interests.

II. The Council for Enterprises.

Art. 10. The management of collec­ tivized enterprises shall be in the hands of a Council named by the workers amongst themselves, in general assembly.

The numbers on the Council will be decided upon by the workers and will be represented by the various sections: pro­ duction, administration, technical ser­ vices.

PROTESTANTS

D ECREE

Art. 12 deals with production, whicn should be regulated according to condi­ tions. . . From the Social standpoint, the Council will pay attention to the strict execution o f the regulations governing production, suggesting others which they might deem useful. They will take the necessary steps to assure good moral and physical health o f the workers ; they will dedicate themselves to an intense cultural and educational programme, founding clubs, sports centres, cultural centres, etc.

Art. 15. All collectivized enterprises will be obliged to have a controller from the Generalitat who will be a member of the Council o f Enterprises, and who will be named by the Economic Council in agreement with the workers.

Art. 18. The Councils will be obliged to take note o f complaints or suggestions put forward by the workers and duly reported to the General Council for Industry.

Art. 19. The Councils of Enterprises will be obliged, at the end of the finan­ cial year, to give an account to the workers at a general meeting o f the administration.

III. Controlling Committees for Private Enterprises.

Art. 21. In non-collectivized indus­ tries the formation o f a W orkers’ Control Committee will be obligatory.

All branches o f the Enterprise will be repre­ sented. The Committee and its numbers will be decided upon by the workers.

Art. 22. The Committee’ s work will consist amongst other things in the supervision o f the conditions of the workers, as regards wages, hours o f work, hygiene ‘ and safe working conditions, besides strict discipline during work.

Art. 21c. Control o f production, con­ sisting in the strict collaboration with the owner in order to perfect the means of production.

The W orkers’ Control Committees will solicit the continuation o f the best relations with the technicians in order to assure the smooth functioning o f the enterprise.

Art. 23. The owners will be obliged to present to the W orkers’ Control Commit­ tees the Annual Balance Sheet and Minutes.

Articles 24— 28 go into details as to the functioning of the General Councils for Industry. Articles 32— 39 deal with the Industrial Obligations. (to be continued)

PERSECUTED

by Spanish Fascism " INQUISITION "

DAYS

We have received information that in the region now under fascist control, Protestant clergy and those who profess Protestant beliefs are cruelly persecuted without regard for their age or sex.

The following incidents are reported:— The Protestant school teacher, Carmin Badin, saw her husband shot before her eyes and had to watch her child strangled by a nurse in the hospital where she was undergoing treatment. In Granada, the Protestant clergyman Ifiiguez, his wife and six children were shot down.

In Salamanca, Codo, a minister of the re formed church, was first obliged to see his children massacred and was then executed himself. In Seville, Patrice Gomez, an­ other clergyman, was vilely killed.

In Tangiers five Protestant preachers were killed and five others exiled.

C R O S S AND W EA PO N We c-ould prolong this list with the names o f other members of the clergy and their Protestant followers who have fallen victims to bloodthirsty fascism, aided and abetted by the Roman Catholic clergy who have remained just as fana-

ACatholic’sOpinion of the Civil War W ARS

“ WON

BY

GOD ’

Oxford Lecturer’s Statements A Catholic’s Opinion of the Civil War Senor Enrique Moreno, Lecturer in Spanish Studies at Oxford, speaking at a meeting in the Friends’ House (17th November) stated that he was not a Red in the sense of being a Socialist, or a Communist, but as a certain section of the British Press was calling every Spaniard Red who was decent enough to fulfil his duties as citizen, in that sense he was a Red.

RECALLED tical and crazed with vengeance as during the times of the Inquisition. In Spain, the Catholic priests have joined fero­ ciously in the struggle, a cross in one hand and a weapon in the other. They wallow in the assassination o f all those who have refused to follow the beliefs o f a church which, as far as the Iberian Peninsula is concerned, has been smirched even from its early days by numberless crimes and every kind o f dis­ honest dealing.

World opinion must be made to realize the baseness o f which Spanish Roman Catholicism is capable.

Protestants in every part o f the world should protest against the madness and thirst for blood of the Princes o f the Church who have piled up such deeds o f sorrow and anguish on Spanish soil.

Can Protestants in Germany, even while living under a fascist regime, really stand quietly by and watch their fellowbelievers massacred by the fanatics to whom they are daily sending supplies o f arms? In defence o f their beliefs they should forbid the export of German arms to Spain.

REBELS

“ KILLIN G

F A IT H ”

He concluded by saying: “ This is not a religious war. It is a social war between the rich and the poor, a war in which that part of the clergy which was spiritu­ ally corrupt has begun to fight in favour of the rich. I do not know who will win this war, but I do not believe wars are won by mercenaries. I believe they are won by God. He knows that if the anar­ chists have killed some stone churches, the rebels are killing faith in the souls of men, women, and children, and are burning the spiritual Church. “ The biggest o f the horrors and atro­ cities committed in Spain was the mere fact of the breaking out of the war.

God knows that the Spanish peasants whose sons were killed and whose daughters have been violated by the Moors have not desired, wanted, or initiated the war.”

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is so great that they spurn personal advan­ tages offered to them, and think only of the interests o f all.

M IRACLES OF IN D U S TR IA L . CONCENTRATION “ T h e industrial concentration carried out has produced miracles. Sales prices have dropped, and that is in spite of the fact that the working hours are shorter and the salaries slightly higher. “ Inspired by these results and in­ fluenced by this environment, dispossessed capitalists have spontaneously offered their technical services, while others who have not been expropriated, placed their fac­ tories and their fortunes at the disposal of the Committees o f the syndicates. “ In summarizing, one may say that, although carrying out a social revolution in all essential points, Catalonia has adapted itself to the economic require­ ments imposed by the struggle against the rebels.

Seven weeks after having taken over the power, the proletariat succeeded in organizing the rear to a point which France was able to reach only four­ teen months after the beginning o f the world war.”

“ It is with the feeling of joy, coupled with a sustained admiration, that a socialdemocrat comes to view the new Catalan institutions.

The anti-capitalist regime is being organized in Catalonia without taking recourse to any dictatorship. Over there the members o f the syndicates are their own masters, and they regulate the production and the distribution o f proper­ ties under their control, after listening to the advice o f experienced technicians in whom they have confidence.

T h e en­ thusiasm o f working men and employees

Alexandre Croix in VU EN ESPAGNE (29.8.36) writes: “ It is just a month since Count Romanones stated to a French journalist that the members o f the F.A.I. were the most intelligent men in Spain, and that it was they in fact who con­ ducted everything in the Peninsula. And as the journalist seemed surprised at hear­ ing such a remark from such a prominent person, the Count added: ‘ They are the only ones who think internationally.’ He further stated that one o f their strong points was the fact that the whole world was unaware o f their existence; no one knows who is the guiding light o f the F.A.I.”

DRINK

B U T E A T V A L E N C IA

NO

PORT

.

.

.

Writes Louis Golding The aeroplanes are still entering Portu­ gal for the assistance of the gallant Generals, Franco and Mola. So are the shells, the rifles. Perhaps the poison-gas bombs are on their way by now.

And Port is still leaving Portugal.

W e must drink no Port.

I know that the Port we might deny ourselves to-night is not the Port which left Portugal a fortnight ago.

I know that the Port which will leave Portugal a fortnight from now is not likely to be balanced on adept palates for another ten, twenty, fifty years. Ten years from now there may be no docks at Oporto for the disembarkation o f its Port, nor docks on the Thames for its reception.

But we must drink no Port now, as we drink no Moslewein, no Rheinwein— for the time being.

(Alas, alas, for the Bernkasteler Doktor we do not drink any more. Alas for the Port o f 1886 from the Val de M ending that I pledge myself to repudiate at dinner next Wednesday night).

And when we are asked why the Port is lacking from our tables or why we pass it by as it circles the tables o f our friends — then, then, we get up on our hind legs and roar.

W e shall say— it is infamous!

It is preposterous! Our refusal of Port is a mere symbol o f what we can do and what we hereby vow to do. It is not that we are of those who sneer at Port, who think it a sticky syrup to soothe the stomachic linings of indurated colonels from Quetta.

W e think Port a deep, rich elixir. But it is infamous, say we, we say it is preposterous.

And they will ask— but what then is preposterous?

Be for one moment coherent!

And we shall say— that Portugal dares to be absent from international neutrality conferences at which even Italy, even Germany, is present ! W e shall say it is abominable that Portuguese merchants bathe night and morning in baths of Spanish blood! W e shall drink no more Port (we shall say) till Portugal has come to her senses.

And that is not all we shall do.

(•Reproduced from “ Spain and U s.” )

AN

EXAMPLE

Practical Help From Mexico

All the workers’ organisations in Mexico have reached an agreement to ask the Spanish Government to send to Mexico all the child refugees from the war zones. These Mexican organisations will care for the children, until the end of the war. They will also see that they attend school in Mexico during the whole time o f their stay.

In a period when countries seem so intent on excluding “ foreigners ” from their shores (unless they be visitors with money to spend) this is indeed a splendid gesture o f solidarity.

Already many children have been taken to France. Will democratic England do likewise?

It would certainly be more practical than discussing means o f “ humanising th" war ” in order to spare the women and children, whilst bombs continue to be dropped by Franco’s aeroplanes.

ORANGES! T h e Press recently estim ated the dam age don e to property as a result o f the Civil W ar, at over £ 300,000,000. B efore the war will b e ended incalculable dam age will have been done.

W h en the time com es fo r the re­ construction o f Spain, capital will be urgently needed. T h is can only be obtained b y a large export trade.

O n e o f the com m od ities w hich can be ex ported even now , in large quantities are the w orld renow ned V A L E N C IA O R A N G E S .

T h is year’s crop prom ises to be the best fo r m any years.

The value o f a ju icy orange w hen the ’flu germ is at w ork, or fo r m oisten­ ing a parched throat need not be estim ated: it is too w ell k n o w n !

Y ou can help by buying V A L E N C I A O R A N G E S . Be sure that they com e from V alencia!

Y o u w ill be contributing to the econ om ic stability o f the anti-fascist Spain o f to-m orrow .

THE

D AVIES,

The Meaning of “ Working Class Life ’ ’

Tranquility in Catalonia

Who are the A narchists?............................

In answering that question we have felt that the comments of men who do not profess to be anarchists will be given more attention than those by anarchists them­ selves. W e shall therefore limit ourselves to quoting from statements made by anti­ fascists who are not anarchists and from the anti-fascist Press.

T he following is a portion o f a state­ ment made by the socialist, Andres Oltmares, a professor at the University of Geneva. “ . . . The agreement arrived at by the various political tendencies in Catalonia enabled the anarchists to create a social organization on a syndicalist basis, which inspires admiration in point o f its order, intelligence and revolutionary spirit. “ Throughout Catalonia one may travel unarmed, both during the day and during the night, without running the slightest danger.

At present there is complete tranquility both in Barcelona and in the towns and villages o f the interior. In the midst of a civil war, the anarchists have shown themselves to be political organ­ isers of the highest type; they inspire in everyone the necessary respect for dis­ cipline and they know how to make eloquent appeals to the devotion o f all for the common welfare. “ M ASTER SH IP ” OF SYN DICATE MEMBERS

RHYS M .P.

NEW

SCHOOL

A Children’s Magazine The Children o f the “ Escuela Natura ” publish a magazine which must repre­ sent their opinions and describe life at their “ beloved school.” One reads with interest this youthful effort, edited by children of less than 17 years o f age, and illustrated with numerous drawings.

Articles by children of 9 and 13 years of age bear evidence of unbounded enthusiasm and sincerity for the ideal which their fathers are defending from the barricades, and their style does not give one the impression o f a lesson which . has been learnt in parrot fashion. The following example o f a child o f 12 years o f age reflects on the mental develop­ ment, brought about in many cases by the bitter experiences o f these last few months.

The article bears the title “ Comunismo Libertario ” (Libertarian Communism). “ Comunismo Libertario is the place where there exist no tyrants nor parasites, where everything is Peace and Freedom.

Peeple who cannot read or write who allowed themselves to be led by the men with long black cloaks, full of criminals, who to-day are bringing death on Spanish soil, will abolish them.

Those ignorant people who confused “ Comunismo Liber­ tario ” with “ Libertlnaje (licentious­ ness), will no longer exist.

When Anarchism will be born, It will be a period of Peace and Liberty and the Sun will shine for everybody. It is for this that our fathers are struggling on the battlefront.

The fascists have got superior armaments, but our men rely on reason and the fighting spirit which all men who have been kept down as slaves, possess.”

Antenio Lopez (aged 12 years).

In a letter to the “ Manchester Guar­ dian ” (November 24th) attacking Sir Stafford Cripps, Mr. Davies raises two points which to my mind seem important to all advanced thinkers. The first is, that Mr. Davies takes that rather objec­ tionable attitude that because a man or woman comes from a “ good fam ily,” or because he or she have never worked in a mine or in the fields, or have never suffered with an empty stomach, it is impossible for them to understand or be familiar with the meaning of working class life.

This is a sompwhat rash statement, as facts conclusively show for instance, that militants o f the Libertarian movement such as Bakounin, Kropotkin, Malatesta, Elise Reclus and many others came from well-to-do families. One can equally well find examples in the Com­ munist movement com m encing with Lenin. All these men struggled against a system they knew to be unjust. Had they ignored the conditions of the work­ ing class this conclusion would have been impossible. Further examples are to be found in the concentration camps of Ger­ many and the penal islands o f Italy, which abound with intellectuals— most of them from “ 'good families ” !— whose lives have been sacrificed in fighting for a noble cause: that o f the oppressed ones.

S P A N ISH IN T E L L E C T U A L S A T T HE

BAR R IC A D E S

Mr. Rhys Davies should also acquaint himself with the activity o f Spanish in­ tellectuals in the present Revolution.

They are not waiting for the news of the slaughter at the telephone in comfortable armchairs as Mr. Davies suggests.

Many are defending the barricades; others saving lives in hospitals, whilst others are defending the high ideals of the workers’ struggle, with the pen. The names o f a few o f the intellectuals shot

by Franco’s mercenaries are given on another page, but when the time comes for a more thorough investigation as to the victims, I am sure that even a work­ ing class “ snob ” as Mr. Davies, will be convinced that, fighting for the workers, are some o f the greatest intellects o f Spain, and, incidentally, from France and Italy as well.

The second point is one of policy.

Mr. Davies disagrees with the “ use o f violence to support our ideas.”

I sug­ gest that owing to a militant fascism in the world that ambiguous phcase should be altered to “ Use o f violence to defend our ideas.”

Perhaps it would be interesting to look back on the pre-Fascist Italy living as it did under a democratic government, of the type Mr. Davies envisages. Fascists were allowed Freedom of Speech and their organisations were unmolested.

The Government must have been aware of the menace, but would not bring themselves to crush Fascism with violence.

What was the result? Mussolini took power by force! Socialist M.P.s as Matteotti and Amend61a were bludgeoned to death because they dared to express their opinions!

" M ODERATE ” G O VERNM ENT IN SP AIN !

To-day in Spain, if so many brave men have been killed fighting for Freedom, we can thank the “ moderate ” Govern­ ment o f Spain, which, when constitution­ ally elected to the Cortes in February last, allowed men o f the Franco-MoU type, who were responsible for the mas­ sacre of the workers in the Asturias in 1934 to occupy responsible positions in the military forces, instead o f eliminating them, thereby ridding a progressive people o f a pest. The elimination of some 50 parasites would have spared the lives o f thousands o f men and innocent women and children.

W ith these facts before him, it would be interesting to know from Mr. Davies whether, in the event o f a Labour Government com ing to power in the near future, the leaders will decide to follow their democratic brothers o f Italy and Germany into exile or in front of the firing squad; or whether, for their own sake and that of the collectivity, they will benefit by the bitter experiences of other countries and immediately destroy Fas­ cism in this country by striking directly at the roots of its organisations.

MORE ATR OCITY STORIES “ Murdered” Archbishop Safe and Sound " M A R T Y R S ” IN GOOD H E ALT H Some time ago it was claimed by the Catholics and their Press that the 82-yearold Archbishop o f Valladolid had been murdered bv the “ R eds.”

They even went into the details.

His hands had been tied round a statue of the Madonna, and a volley had shattered his body and the statue as well. It was rather embar­ rassing when the Archbishop turned up in Bordeaux a fortnight later, safe and sound.

Another slight mistake has been recti­ fied in the “ U N IV E R S E ” o f the 27th November.

The Bishop Pere* y Rodripruer. and the Bishop o f Segovia, both reported to have died martyrs of the “ Red ” terror, are apparently quite fit.

The “ Universe ” makes the feeble excuse that there was a slight error in the names! These H oly gentlemen were mistaken for two unfortunate Bishops who probably were killed when directing military operations from a cathedral, or patriotically absconding with the money, given them to relieve suffering in the poverty-stricken eountry that was Spain.

4

SPAIN AND THE WORLD,

FRIDAY,

DECEMBER 11th,

1936.

SPAIN WORLD

Liberty consists, not in having a just ruler, but in not having one at all.

AND TH E

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY FOR THE SPANISH WORKERS Duty to Widows, Orphans and disabled militiamen FUNDS

URGENTLY

LA T V IA .

Despite a pro-Franco Government the workers in Latvia have succeeded, during the last few weeks, in collecting 1,200 hats, which have been sent to Madrid.

The difficulties which these collections entail is indicated by the fact that in a single textile factory in Riga 12 workers were arrested for collecting money for

ACTIVITY

IN

LEVANTE

Safety of Madrid

AN INTERESTING LETTER

Children “ The Times ” (November 12th, 1936), publishes a letter by Mr. W. Jolly, in which he suggests that “ understanding of Children consists primarily in safe­ guarding the Christian Faith, in which they have been born and bred, but should the Communists obtain permanent control of these children will they not be forced into definite Atheism.”

This is with reference to a suggestion by Mr. Jacob that something should be done to relieve the suffering of innocent children in Spain.

The entire region of Valencia and the Levante is mobilized for war. Help for the population and combatants at Madrid is being organized on as large a scale as possible, and great numbers o f children have been removed from the dangers of fascist assassination in Madrid to new homes in the Valencia district.

The whole population is collaborating to make those children as happy and healthy as possible. Many o f them have been settled in the charming country villages of Levante where they can enjoy the fresh air.

Thousands o f lorry-loads of food have left the Valencia region for Madrid and the centre fronts. Every town and village has contributed to the thousands of tons o f provisions which have gone to feed the men who are so bravely repulsing fascism.

Valenca has been busy preparing hos­ pitals too. Now she has place to lodge 30,000 wounded, if need be, and enough surgical instruments and medicines and doctors to treat them all. This does not mean that such accommodation will ever be necessary, fortunately, but it goes to show o f what creative organization one of the proudest regions of Spain is capable in a miraculously short time, and how no work is too much, no sacrifice too great when the common good o f the people is at stake.

THE

NEEDED

SWEDEN. In the middle o f October many promi­ nent political men, as well as intellectuals, met in Stockholm in order to organize practical aid for the Spanish people.

A committee was formed with Senator Georg Branting as chairman. Appeals were is­ sued in almost all workers’ newspapers, and as a result there are now 100 local committees affiliated to the Central Re­ lief Committee. To the end of October 60,000 Crowns had been collected. A con­ signment o f food to the value o f 30,000 Crowns had already been sent.

This amount collected does not include the subscriptions by the Trade Unions, which will easily exceed the amount already col­ lected many times over.

These are but few of the manifesta­ tions of solidarity for the Spanish work­ ers.

The toll of the war in human lives and the destruction of houses and property has left women and children destitute.

The hospitals are full of men and women who are incapacitated for life.

They must not be allowed to die of starvation because of the lack of solidarity on our parts.

Send NOW your donations to our Fund. All monies will be forwarded to the Committees in Spain and officially acknowledged.

Address your donations t o :— SPAIN AND THE W O RLD , Temporary Offices: 207, GOSW ELL ROAD, LONDON, E.C.1.

NEW YORK, Nov. 26th.

The conference of the leaders o f the Garment Makers’ Union, called by the trade union section of the American League against war and fascism, resolved to make the slogan “ 100,000 garments for 100,000 Spanish fighters for freedom ,” the aim of their solidarity campaign.

Garment makers, textile and peltry workers will take part in this campaign, which will begin with a demonstration called by seven leaders of the Garment Workers’ Union. It is intended to make several thousand coats with fur trimmings for the women in the trenches, and sheep­ skin coats for the militia men. Over 75 trade union locals in the city o f New York have organised relief stations for the Spanish Republicans.

A t a mass meeting in San Francisco, addressed by Isabella de Palencia, the priest Sarasota and Marcelino Domingo, $5,000 were collected.

The Teachers’ Trade Union of New York has collected $2,500 in aid o f the struggle o f the Spanish people against fascism.

Mr. Jacob answers by the following interesting letter ( “ Times,” November 14th, 1936): “ I think your correspondent and others may rest assured that the Society o f Friends would not lend itself to any work likely to lead to the ‘ de-Christiani­ zation ’ o f Spanish children.

Its sole concern is to help those who are working, on entirely non-political lines, to save those children from some of the horrors of war. Does anyone suggest that the 70 children recently killed by a bomb at Getafe are spiritually better off than those who have found food, and, above all, kindness and love In the homes of the people of Catalonia?

In any case, the Catalan authorities are not Communists.

Many of them are Anarchists, which is an entirely different thing.

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HOW %

THE CHURCHES ARE FILLED »—

CICERO.

DECLARATION OF AR TISTS AND PROFESSORS

Pamphlets — News­ papers — Books

W ho are the Vandals in Spain ?

A R E V IE W OF PUBLICATIONS FROM ALL SOURCES

The Pope in Audience S C H O O L S MORE IM PO RTAN T THAN CHURCHES A letter sent to Dr. Vance, Chairman o f the Schools’ Commission by the Arch­ bishop of Westminster, speaks of the audience given by the Pope. “ He sends a special prayer for each and all. He dwelt particularly on the necessity for continuing work for schools. “ The schools,” he said, “ were more important in some ways than the churches. If we did not save our children’s Faith in the schools, there would be no congregations in the Churches.”

This statement (published in the “ Universe ” (November 27th, 1936) ) is of great interest, because it clearly indicates the importance played by education, during childhood, on the future beliefs o f men and women. This necessity to mould the mind o f the child to believe in God, confutes those state­ ments, so often heard, that belief is a spontaneous manifestation. The Church has never interested itself in the educa­ tion o f the people. The Church of Spain was the responsible body for the execution of that renowned educationalist Francisco Ferrer, founder of 120 schools in Cata­ lonia. His crime was that the singing o f hymns and the chanting o f lengthy prayers did not make up the curriculum of his classes.

FASCIST AIRMAN ADMITS Having Bombed Women and Children A Polish flyer, Kadet, one-time mer­ cenary in Franco’s pay, has just arrived back in Warsaw.

Kadet said that he and another Polish aviator had gone on a German ship on which certain Germans, enlisted in the fascist army, were also travelling. H e landed in Portugal, and went from there to Badajoz and Seville, where he entered the 2nd Division o f the fascist air force.

He was told by the fascist command to drop bombs on places where large num­ bers o f women and children were gathered. He was also ordered to bomb a church and did so with the greatest displeasure due to his religious beliefs.

Among other statements made by this airman, one was concerned with evidence that the bombs used were o f German make. He also said that the Govern­ ment air force has recently improved greatly, and the extremely fast chasers possessed by them put the German bombers in considerable peril.

ENGLAND AND THE SPANISH REVOLUTION A Review of Political Attitudes From the outset there should have been doubt as to the attitude o f the British Government. Several incidents clearly indicated a bias in favour o f the rebels, such as, for instance the refusal to allow loyalist battleships to refuel at Gibraltar, and the shielding o f rebel cruisers from loyalist attacks. T h e pact of Non-Intervention, despite the fact that it is attributed to France was brought about by a form of blackmail by the British Government.

The Communists and the powerful Trade Unions in France were against the pact as they clearly saw that the Loyalists, and not Franco would suffer by it. Pressure was applied by the British Government, and succeeded by threats o f non-support, in the event of war betwen Germany and France, by Britain.

The Manchester Guardian (1 7 /8 /3 6 ) points to this “ coercion.” “ When the Spanish civil war broke out the French Government was sharply split, not knowing whether or not to let the Spanish Government have its full legal rights; the British Government urged ' non-intervention ’ on it."

It is interesting to see how Mr. Eden placed great stress, when addressing the House, on France being the country to suggest non-intervention.

It was even more lamentable to witness the reaction o f the working class move­ ments o f Great Britain.

The Labour Press was immediately in favour of non­ intervention, whilst the T.U .C . congress at Edinburgh, much to one’s disgust, adopted the same attitude towards inter­ vention. This reaction was a blow to those people who imagined that for once the Labour leaders would grasp the whole situation.

Amongst the Press opinions, the “ Man­ chester Guardian ” seemed to be one of the rare exceptions to this policy of neutrality which was so welcome to Franco and his backers, Mussolini and Hitler, though even this newspaper resorted in a leader to the “ humanisation of war ” and “ exchange of hostages ” scheme which succeeded in making angels of peace out of Messrs. Baldwin and Eden in the eyes o f the short sighted bourgeoisie of Britain.

The group o f artists, writers, doctors and professors who arrived on Tuesday in Valencia, evacuated from Madrid by order of the Government, yesterday made the following declaration to the Press: “ W e have never felt so attached to our country, so truly Spanish as we felt when the people of Madrid forced us to leave the city so that we could continue our work unharmed by enemy air raids. W e have never felt how much we belonged to Spain until we saw the militiamen expos­ ing their lives to protect the fruits o f our work and the artistic treasures which we own. They put themselves _in peril in saving books and laboratory instruments, while foreign explosive bombs were drop­ ping on the buildings which house the cultural treasures o f Spain. “ W e want to express our gratitude for the situation in which we have been placed.

It honours us as men, as scientists and as Spaniards in the eyes o f the whole world and the whole o f civilized humanity.”

This declaration was made by Antonio Molos, Machado, Pascual, Del Rio Or­ tega, Madinabeitia, Moreno Villa and Sanchez Corvisa.

Under the guidance o f these intellec­ tuals the 5th regiment has evacuated scientific and literary treasures from Madrid to prevent their being destroyed by the savage vandalism o f the fascists.

They have been moved to Valencia in armoured cars, where they are now in safety.

A MESSAGE OF ENCOURAGEMENT From American Intellectuals The President o f the Council of Ministers in Valencia received a tele­ gram signed by forty intellectuals from the United States, which reads as follows: “ As American representatives, we express our profound feeling o f horror at the bombardment o f the Madrid civil population by the military rebels in the fight against the legal democratic Govern­ ment, and we express to your Excellency our fervent hopes that the fascist rebels will be destroyed and that the cause of democracy will triumph. You have the sincere adhesion o f thousands o f Ameri­ cans who look to Spain as the fighting front against fascist aggression.”

ARCHBISHOP

Anti-Capitalist — Anti-Fascist — Fascist?

OR

?

w hat

Archbishop Hinsley has issued a wealth of statements just recently. So many in fact that one cannot be quite certain as to what he thinks in reality. A t New­ castle he said: “ There is no thinking man who sees and can learn the state of things in these distressed special areas without concluding that something is wrong in the whole social and economic system under which such economic con­ ditions are possible.” — Anti-Capitalist?

Once again at Newcastle he stated: “ I do not approve o f Mussolini, but whatever he has done and however far he has gone wrong, he has done incalculable good to the Italian people.” — Anti-Fascist and Fascist?

We suggest that Prof. Salvemini’ s book ir N n ER > \ H E, . ,A X E

0F

F A S CISM

(Gollancz) should be consulted in order to appreciate the “ incalculable good done to the Italian p eop le/*

FAITH

IN THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Some English Press Views H . N. B R A IL S F O R D 'S AN SW E R The “ Daily Herald ” o f the 20th November urges in its leader that “ an immediate meeting o f the Council of the League be called to cope with the embarrassmg international situation.

What does the “ Daily Herald ” expect to be the result of such a meeting? So long as English diplomats can be success­ fully bluffed (or are content to make “ 11 w j y nTrre ) by Mussolini, nothing will be done. H. N. Brailsford gives an answer to the dilly-dallying Labour Party 29th l 5 & 1News.”

(November Z9th, 1936), when he writes: “ It ought to be leading a campaign to overwhelm the Foreign Office, to sweep away the sham of non-intervention and to win for Britain a Government that will place it where it ought to be— in the van of the democratic army, to meet the Dictator s challenge.”

Published by Thos. H. Keell, Whiteway Colony, nr. Stroud, Gloucester, on v ew h

(to be continued)

HINSLEY

p

? 36i

£ nd

Printed

by

A great quantity o f literature has been published on the Spanish Situation by the Communist Party, I.L.P. and a few non-political organisations.

Th e latest pamphlet, S PA IN & US, issued by the Central Committee for Spanish Aid (9, Gordon Sq., W .C .l.) is particularly interesting, and is made more important by the collaboration o f wellknown intellectuals, amongst them J. B. Priestley who, in his article, tries to visualize reaction in this country if during the last Labour Government “ a number o f generals, backed by foreign powers had begun a ferocious civil war and had brought Indian troops into this country to help them,” and that when we asked for arms we were refused them by a friendly democratic Power.

This situa­ tion he compares to the situation o f the Spanish Government with respect to Great Britain. He concludes by appeal­ ing to all free thinking people to “ pro­ claim the truth against a thousand lies.”

Articles are contributed by Rebecca West, Stephen Spender, Ethel Mannin, etc___ An excellent pamphlet and well written.

TR IBU TE TO B R ITISH M EDICAL AID UN IT T h e “ News Chronicle ” has rendered homage to T h e British M edical Aid Unit in publishing a pamphlet dealing with the great work done by the Unit in alleviating the suffering o f the wounded. The difficulties under which this noble work is carried out are described in detail, and we hope that this pamphlet will result in many donations being sent to the Copimittee thereby making it possible to send out another ambulance to assist in the work o f human succour.

Contribu­ tions should be sent to the Committee 24, New O xford St., W .C .l.

The Drama of Spain by A . Ramos Oliveira (Published by T h e National Council o f Labour) traces the situation of Spain from the Proclamation o f the Republic to the Civil War. Th e three problems that the new Republic had to face were, the position o f the Church in the new Republican Democracy, the agrarian question and the problem of regional autonomy.

These reforms met with opposition from the industrialists.

T h e writer goes into the question of the Church, which he states was the cause of the October Revolution. Th e wealth of the Church could not be estimated.

Tfie Catholic-Agrarian Confederation for instance had its own banks, and lent money to peasants.

ONE S H IL L IN G A D A Y W AG ES IN V IL L A G E S The wages o f the country labourers ” — writes Senor Oliveira— “ had been re­ duced to the most un-Christian extent, m spite o f the fact that the Catholics had been in power.

In many villages the days wage was fixed at about one shil­ ling.

Don Fernando de los Rios, the eminent humanist who is well known in intellectual circles in England, told me then that, in the province o f Granada, there were country folk who got no wage at all, and worked ten and twelve hours a day in exchange for their food.” The Popular Front is then discussed, and the incidents leading up to the Civil War of “ Tn! 1» ?n t^le author’s opinion 1 ne Republican Agrarian Reform has been the principal cause o f the rebellion of the Army chiefs and officers, all, or nearly all, sons or brothers o f landowners.”

Once more the Church has gone handin-hand with the Reactionaries against the People.

The Left Book News for December contains articles on Spain, by John Sstrachey and Emile Bums.

W e shall comment on them in our next issue.

AN

INVITATION

The receipt of a copy of “ SPAIN and the W O R L D ” is an invitation to subscribe.

Though the services of the Editor are given free, postage and print­ ing expenses must be paid regularly:— Subscription for 13 issues 2/6 or 0.60$ post free.

Subscription for 26 issues 4 /6 or 1 .00 ? post free.

The Spanish M edical Aid Unit You can help to alleviate the suffering of the wounded in Spain by sending contri­ butions to the Spanish Medical Aid Committee, 2 4 , New Oxford London, W .C .l ,

Street,

or through ‘ SPAIN and the W O R L D .’

Civil Government . . . is in reality

instituted

for

the

defence of the rich against the poor, or of those who have some property against those who have none at all.

AD AM SMITH (1 7 2 3 -1 7 9 0 )

VOLUME 1, NUMBER

2

DECEMBER

24th,

PRICE 2d.— U .S .A . 5 CENTS.

1936.

Mediation? . . . .

Can it bring the W a r to an end SUGGESTIONS FROM THE W O M E N ’S INTERN ATIO NAL LEAGUE After an attempt at humanizing the war in Spain, which seemed to consist in a request to the M adrid Government to liberate all fascists held in the M adrid prisons, as apparently they were not fascists (Mr. Eden know­ ing with more precision who were the dangerous elements still at large in Madrid) the latest intentions are to bring about an understanding between the two fighting forces.

The W om en's International League, in a letter about Spain to the Prime Minister, urges that it is the duty of the League Council to try to make peace.

The Council might take the following measures:— (1) Offer to the Spanish Govern­ ment a Refugee Commissioner, to be sent at once to advise and organise the evacuation of civilians from the war zone, to organise refugee relief, and to use every opportunity to miti­ gate the suffering of the people.

(2) Strengthening the non-inter­ vention agreement by the establish­ ment of impartial and non-Governmental Commissions of supervision, and by including in the agreement the prohibition of man-power from other countries.

(3) Offer of mediation to the com­ batants with a view to declaring an armistice, coupled with the offer of impartial advisers to go to Spain to intorm the League upon the fulfil­ ment of the truce, and to help the Spanish authorities, if it is possible, in carrying out negotiations for a peace settlement. W e feel that the opportunity for friendly aid and the need for information would both occur if the fighting stopped, and that, while it would be most impor­ tant to avoid the intervention of foreign Governments in the affairs of Spain, the presence of impartial C o m ­ missioners of the League might pre­ vent a fresh outbreak of hostilities and further a just settlement.

The co-operation of United States citi­ zens in such a scheme might well be used.

The first point would be of im­ mense utility, though it does not go far enough. Already many thousands of women and children have been evacuated from Madrid, but that fact does not make them immune from danger.

M ost of them have been found homes in Valencia and C a t a ­ lonia; that is not sufficient.

The large and well equipped Italian forces centred in the Balearic Islands are waiting the moment to attack the big towns along the coast.

They will bomb from the air and shell from the sea and land.

W h at security have those innocent women and children?

To suggest a neutral zone to Franco seems equally useless. It would only offer a better target for his airmen, who, like their brothers in Abyssinia, mercilessly bombarded to bits the Red Cross Units which had gone out there to minimise the suffering of the wounded.

There is only one solution to that question. The peoples of democratic countries should take it upon them­ selves to offer refuge to these unfor­ tunate people until the end of the war. This concrete proposal will un­ doubtedly meet witn opposition in conservative and, probably, socialistpatriotic circles, who think the matter is no concern of ours, but that some­ thing can be done is shown by the work done by France and Mexico in caring for the children and orphans of Spanish workers.

ST R E N G T H E N IN G N O N -IN T E R V E N T IO N .

The second measure is useless. By strengthening the non-intervention agreement one can only understand it to mean that the loyalists will have further restrictions imposed on them, such as the prohibition to send food,

or to use British ships for that pur­ pose!

Non-intervention has been a failure — even Mr. Eden has recently re­ marked on its futility— and the estab­ lishment of impartial Commissions is out of the question, as far as Portugal is concerned (this measure was sug­ gested by Russia some time ago and blankly rejected by Portugal), and Italy and Germany would always find means of smuggling arms into the country if necessary. Another reason why non-intervention is of no use at this juncture is that Franco has all the arms he requires.

M E D IA T IO N .

The third measure suggested, mediation, is equally useless.

It is not a solution to the problems pre­ sented by the present crisis for two reasons which have been made apparent during the last few days.

The first is that Italy and Germ any will not agree. Their answers to the French note are almost negative.

The object of the Germans' attack is the Anarchists.

It has taken exactly five months for Germ any to realise that there is no Communist " menace " in Spain; the new " men­ ace " is the Anarchists.

Italy re­ fuses to allow anarchism to reign in Catalonia, so that we can be certain that in the event of Germ any and Italy agreeing to the mediation pro­ posals, at the bottom they will still be Dehind the Rebel forces, and the fatal results that non-intervention had on the Loyalists will now be repeated with even worse consequences.

The second reason why we con­ sider the measure as unsatisfactory, despite the fact that we, more than any one else, desire to see the end of this bloody battle, is that mediation will merely serve to bring a temporary check to the war only to let it rage more violently afterwards.

The Anarchist programme of this year was that Spain should be divided into autonomous regions, which regions would be determined accord­ ing to local influence.

Let us sup­ pose that this were accepted now by Franco.

Is it conceivable that he would be true to his word? Events of the past months have shown that he would not.

When the Popular Front registered its election victory, Franco, M ola and other Generals were allowed to retain their posts as heads of the armed forces, and they swore allegiance to the new Govern­ ment. N o sooner had they done so than they were conspiring to over­ throw by force those very people who had spared their lives (we say " spared," as under a vindictive G o v ­ ernment they would have .been shot for their responsibility for the mass­ acre of the workers in the Asturias in 1934).

Now, should Navarre, for instance, be under the influence of a fascist dictatorship, is it not obvious that within a month they would be con­ spiring with Germ any and Italy to supply them with arms to smash the other zones, where the people, free and happy, were carrying on their work of reconstruction on new, idealogical lines?

No, the war in Spain must be fought to an end.

If the Govern­ ment of this country is anxious to give help to bring it to an end as rapidly as possible, they have but one course (continued in next column)

(,continued from preceding column) to follow: the removal of the arms embargo on the legal Government of Spain and the imposition of an em­ bargo on the Rebels (which will be assured by patrolling Spanish waters with the mighty fleets of France, Russia and England).

It has even been suggested that elections should be held.

These, if fairly carried out, would show the vast majority of Spain to be antiFascist. But then the elections held in Fascist Italy, with an armed black­ shirt standing by the ballot box, are still too fresh in our minds to believe that in the districts controlled by Franco's forces the same methods will not be applied.

W e should then learn that all these areas voted 100 per cent, for Franco, though incidents behind the lines show clearly that there are risings taking place regu­ larly in territory under Fascist dom ­ ination (despite the fact that thous­ ands of workers have been butchered in Seville, Badajoz, Saragossa, La Linea and elsewhere).

Mr. Eden's speech at Bradford is significant. It gives one the impres­ sion that Fascist bluff is to be met with a stern reply, and not by sub­ mission as in the past.

Whilst we can hope for little help being given to the loyal forces, yet we can hope that less nelp will be given to Franco.

And that is already much, judging by the pro-Fascist attitude of the pre­ sent Government and of the head of the Non-Intervention Committee in London.

Now is the right moment for con­ certed action by the people of this country.

N ot through representa­ tives of their unions or by their M.P.s, but by their own action.

Let us remember that the ameli­ oration in the working conditions of the workers in France was obtained by their own efforts!

Let us remember also that the 30,000 political prisoners in Spain were set free by the concerted efforts of the people who stormed the gaols, and not by order of the democratic Popular Front Government!

All men and women who feel strongly for their fellow-beings fight­ ing for the liberty of the world at large, should do their share as thoroughly as they can.

Agitate— Propagate the ideas of Freedom— and give material help to the victims of Fascism!

LAY

EDUCATION

The Mother in the New Society T he mother first and then the ele­ mentary schoolmaster must be the builders of new generations. N ow if we wish them to develop in accord­ ance with the progress o f civilized people and to make up a noble society, just and free, we must free the mother from all religious belief and choose the master, taking care that he possesses the necessary qualifications and ability for a rational instruction.

Catholic education during its dom ­ ination, of many years’ standing has enslaved woman in a most definite manner, and when she has borne her children, she has followed the archaic, damaging and dull education with which the Church overwhelmed her and which, owing to her ignorance, was interpreted by her as an act of faith. As a result it was impossible to make her understand anything else, and to convince her of her mistake.

Emancipation of women, then, is the first step to be taken by workers’ organizations in order to begin the child’s education from early infancy.

When we shall have crushed the fas­ cist hordes, and overwhelmed for ever reaction supported by the Clergy and Militarism, the two privileged classes which lived in great luxury, at the expense of the sweated working class; when we will have succeeded in re­ establishing peace in our dearly beloved country, stained so often with the blood of free and altruistic men, and when calm will be once more restored in the homes o f the workers, it will be their duty, those men who have given all and have saved Spain from a detestable and criminal fas­ cism, to dedicate their activity and knowledge to the making o f mothers who are educators.

The Governments of the Republic, who for the past five years have not had the time to pay attention to this matter, and have remained undecided on the question of the Separation of the Church and the State, and who have allowed reactionaries to direct the armed forces, must now change their policy, and give the mothers all attention so that they shall become cultured and progressed; so that they may be aware of the position they hold in society, and the duty they have towards the education of the beings they bring into the world.

(Solidaridad Obrera)

UNDER

FASCIST

RULE

Reign of Terror in the Canary Islands W e receive the following informa­ tion from Francisco Miranda Diaz, a captain in the merchant navy and president of the Union o f Captains and Officials of the Navy at Palmas, who escaped from the Canary Islands in the Norwegian ship “ Bajawar “ During the early days o f the move­ ment, as soon as the workers’ resis­ tance had been crushed, German fascist agents arrived in the Canaries to organise militias and the fascist re­ pression, which reached great heights o f cruelty.

T he Communist deputy, Eduardo Suaroz Morales, and Egea, the delegate of the Civil Governor in the northern zone of Gran Canaria, a Socialist militant, were assassinated.

Many workers were shot. A soldier, member of a firing squad, who re­ fused to shoot, was killed by an infan­ try lieutenant.

Marfil, the Health Commissioner, was also shot.

In a single week, 36 peasants were shot in one district alone. “ Five male nurses, belonging to the Military Hospital, who were accused of having been found in pos­ session of a bomb, were thrown into the sea from the Teide Road, at a place called Mar Fea, with a sack over their heads and a boulder tied to their feet. One of the bodies was found days later by a fisherman, who brought it to the Concentration Camp.

The Trade Union headquarters, Cultural Centres and Masonic Lodges were taken by assault and destroyed.

All their furniture was siezed and re­ moved. Membership lists were cap­ tured, thanks to which a violent per­ secution began throughout the Island. “ The state of the working class is one o f famine under a reign of terror.

It is impossible to offer help to the widows and orphans of the men who have been assassinated by the fascists without being immediately taken to a concentration camp as a member o f the International Red Aid. “ In Teneriffe the following are some o f the many victims o f fascism who have been shot: Pedro Schwartz, the Mayor of the town; Santiago Alberto, head o f the Unified Youth Movement; Varquez M oros, the gov­ ernor, and his secretary; San Fiol, president of the Republican Union.

T w o workers were beaten to death in the Vigilance Commission Building.”

I

SPAIN AND THE WORLD, THURSDAY. DECEMBER 24th, 1936L

2

SPAIN and t h e W O RLD Anti-Fascist Fortnightly T EM P O R A R Y

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Volunteers.

T he question of volunteers fighting in Spain has been brought up once more, this time with more vigour, and perhaps with the possibility of reach­ ing some agreement whereby once again the Loyalist forces will be handi­ capped in their struggle against Franco and his mercenaries.

W e must view this matter with care and restraint and not do as the Labour Party or the Trade Unionists, who fell into the trap over non-intervention in Spain. We must consider the ques­ tion from two points of view.

The first thing we must ask ourselves is, who are the volunteers fighting for the Loyalists, and who are the “ volun­ teers ” fighting for Franco?

Those fighting in the workers’ columns are men fighting for an ideal which is dear to them.

Many of these men have had to leave their native land because Fascism prevented them from enjoying the few liberties which we in democratic countries can still enjoy.

These include workers and intellectuals alike; men of political ideas as opposed as Communism and Anarchism. They have come to Spain to contribute their share towards the preservation of human dignity above Fascist rascality. They have come of their own accord, guided by one thought: a Free and happy Spain.

M O O R S A N D F O R E IG N L E G IO N N A IR E S The men fighting for Franco con­ sist in the main of Moors and Foreign Legionaires, whilst recently there has been an influx of Italian and German “ volunteers.” So much so, that Mr. Eden is becoming alarmed. For this reason he is drafting out plans which will prevent volunteers from entering Spain.

But has he the courage to openly declare that the men fighting for Franco are volunteers?

The “ Manchester Guardian ” (16/12/36) reveals that these men are merely con­ scripts.

The greater majority have been forced into taking part.

The Diplomatic Correspondent writes: Relatives of men who have been dispatched to Spain from Germany have been instructed to send their letters unopened to the Berlin post offices C 2, W 10, and N.O. 55, whence the letters are forwarded.

The relatives have not been told that these men have gone overseas.

The men are instructed to inform their relatives that they have been drafted to a secret destination for a course of training which is to last six­ teen weeks.

The letters to the men serving with the German Flying Corps in Spain are forwarded via post office W 10. Letters to men in the tank and anti-aircraft corps go via C 2 and N.O. 55.

Meanwhile parents of Germans serving in Spain have begun to re­ ceive official notification that their sons have been “ fatally injured during manoeuvres ” (" bei einer U ebu ng").

G E R M A N V O L U N T E E R DESERTERS Other newspapers mention the fact that many of the so-called German volunteers have deserted en masse and are now with the anti-Fascist forces.

Eye-witnesses in Seville have re­ peatedly stated that Italian soldiers parade in the streets in uniform. Then there is the incident when Italian fighting aeroplanes crashed in French Morocco. The pilots were members of the Italian Air Force.

This, therefore, is the difference to be found in the definitions by Ger­ many and Italy and the Spanish Loyal­ ists with regard to “ volunteers.” We must defend those men and women who have gone of their own accord, to fight for something which is both noble and just, from being dragged to the depths of Italian and German official conscription, which is just an­ other example of Fascist methods. (continued at foot of next column)

Social Aspirations and Achievements of the Spanish Peasant.

THE AUTONOMY OF THE PEASANTS AN UNDENIABLE FACT. Co-operation with the Town Workers. #After primitive stages, mankind mainly developed two types of eco­ nomic and social life.

The peasant | tilled his land, the artisan worked with his tools, the merchant provided for the distribution o f the surplus products of either, and local communij ties, villages and townships, self-gov­ erning, were the organs and centres of j social life.

The second type was agrarian, industrial, commercial, fin­ ancial feudalism, based on the mono­ poly o f all the means and organs of production and supported by armed power, from that of the feudal lord to that of the bureaucratic centralized State which by legal fictions was made all-powerful and irresponsible after the model of the divinities of every religion. Both types are defec­ tive, as the second constitutes mani­ festly the abuse o f power arising from power itself, and the first one could not really take root and fatally lapsed and merged in the second. Side by side with the owners of means of pro­ duction arose increasing masses of the disinherited, possessing only their labour power, and these were and are forced to do the real work for the pro­ fit of the privileged minority. Hence social discontent, despair, revolt and attempts at social emancipation on the large scale running from reforms to revolution.

The Aim of .True Socialists Every country, inevitably, gave birth to its own ideas, forms, tactics, and features o f the social struggle, and from these and the general character and disposition of the inhabitants arise also differentiated types of social aspirations and ideals. N o one feels more international good will towards all people than a true Socialist, but if he is also a free man and a logical thinker, he understands that his task cannot be to universalise his own local form o f socialism, but must be to help people everywhere to realise their own social ideals and to over­ come the great obstacles which re­ action is raising everywhere and more than ever before. Only in later times, after much experience, the most valu­ able forms of Socialism may spread from region to region; to begin by unification would only mean to intro­ duce internal strife in an army which has a most dangerous enemy before it.

Unfortunately this has already been done, and for generations back, owing to the self-centred­ ness of learned dogmatists, the fan­ aticism o f casuists and the thought(continued from preceding column) ITALIAN COUNTER-ACTION Mr. Vernon Bartlett, in the “ NewsChronicle ” (16/12/36) discusses the possibilities of further men being sent to the Rebel forces.

Whilst saying that the International Column will shortly be doubled in numbers, it is believed that this increase in Loyalist volunteers “ would be met by further Italian reinforcements for General Franco, though there are thought to be limits to the risks the Italian Govern­ ment would be prepared to take.

"A s for the Germans, it is doubtful whether they are willing to carry their assistance in man power much further. " Though Berlin has notoriously little money to spare, yet it is reported from one quarter that the Nazis have so far spent the very substantial sum of 200,000,000 marks in support of the rebels.”

The banning of Volunteers will be the final betrayal of the Spanish people.

We have allowed the G ov­ ernment of this democratic country to deny arms to the legally elected G ov­ ernment of Spain; we have allowed the Government of this country to pass a Bill preventing English merchant ships from transporting arms to Spain . . . and now there is the suggestion that men and women who wish to go to Spain of their own accord should be prevented from doing so. Besides being an aggression on individual liberty, it will have the psychological effect of both spurring on Mussolini and Hitler in a supreme effort to win and at the same time acting as a set­ back to the Spanish people, who see in the International Column the solid­ arity of the World in their struggle for Liberty.

lessness of many well intentioned people who believed that what was good for them must needs be good for everyone else. All the secular follies and passions of religious sect wars and nationalist hate-mongering were thus introduced into what ought to have been the most liberal, generous, intellectual and ethical effort, weld­ ing together the progressive forces of humanity in the great struggle for social justice.

Such preliminary remarks are not unnecessary, unfortunately, before dis­ cussing the special features of the new social developments in Spain.

The reason is that such conditions as we have just described produced among advanced thinkers also so much mis­ understanding concerning the events since July last. Nor was such a mis­ understanding lessened by inaccurate information gathered from sources tainted with bias.

Marx and the Spanish Workers Let those who are interested in Marx, remember what Marx did on such an occasion.

In the midst of European reaction (the Spanish pro­ gressive upheaval of 1854 inaugurated the revolutionary year 1854-55) Marx was greatly struck by this unfore­ seen event, and he dedicated himself to the study of Spanish political his­ tory for many years back, producing a remarkable series o f articles, of late re­ produced in book form. That was a scholar’s action.

This interest was not maintained, and Marx became a victim to his one-sided conception of history, which made him believe that a country belated in modern indus­ trial machinery must also be a country which did not count in intellect and in sentiment.

Spain as a factor in Socialism did not interest him. The London General Council of the Inter­ national was utterly inactive with re­ gard to Spain, and (a curious detail culled from its minutes) only when on January 31st, 1871, Marx happened to look at La Revolucion Social, a new anarchist organ, printed on red paper, issued in Palma (M ajorca), he was struck by seeing such ideas as those of Bakunin propagated even on the then remote island, and Engels was appointed secretary for Spain at that same meeting o f the Council. Engels in his very first letter sent to the sec­ retary o f the Spanish Federal Council (February 13th) pleads for a Spanish political Workers’ Party after the model o f German social democracy, and such propositions were one por­ tion of Paul Lafargue’s (the son-inlaw of Marx) activities in Spain since Christmas, 1871. The other portion was the unearthing and public denun­ ciation (by names) of the secret inner structure of the Spanish International, o f the Aliansa, a nucleus o f vital im­ portance for the protection of a public body exposed to every form of per­ secution.

Such action was neither scholarly nor loyal, but that of a fan­ atic and a foreign invader who wished to break the spirit of the Spanish or­ ganization and force it under the yoke of his personal ideas. From this, over sixty years of strife arose, which was only mitigated in October, 1934, when workers o f authoritarian and liber­ tarian convictions fought side by side in Asturia, and will be further bridged over in the present months o f direst danger, when the monster of Authority in its most hideous form is martyrising the whole nation.

The Fate of the Spanish Peasants Since the sixteenth century Spain became, above all, a country of agra­ rian misery, since the peasants’ toil and the affluence o f gold from con­ quered America kept the aristocracy and the mercantile class in luxury, which meant regular employment to the town workers. In the eighteenth century the land question was more thoroughly investigated in Spain than in any other country, and in the early nineteenth century, propositions like those o f Henry George were already before the public. But nothing was done, as the rich absentee landlords were at the same time the Court aris­ tocracy and their younger sons the military officers, the high civil ser­

vants, etc. The peasants and labour­ ers very soon saw that nobody was willing to help them, and they began to rely upon their own efforts exclu­ sively.

Neither the clergy, nor the politicians, had a hold on them, as they saw through their selfish aims.

The Influence of the C .N .T . and F .A .I. They had and have a wonderful trust in their final emancipation, and they feel attracted by large and gener­ ous ideas such as advanced organiza­ tions profess.

So they successively put hope and trust in the Federal Re­ public, in the International, in the C.N .T., the F.A.I. and the Comunismo libertario, as some ninety years ago many were fascinated already by Cabet’s Icarian Communism.

Cabet’s book had been translated, and was especially read in Andalusia or read to Andalusian peasants. Here some may think o f the large percentage of analphabetes in Spain, but let them remember two facts.

T he effects of analphabetism are greatly counter­ acted by public or private reading to large groups; this is done in work­ shops during work, and the revolu­ tionary papers and tracts are often read before secret gatherings in secluded places in town and country.

One of the reasons for analphabetism is the management of schools by priests, to whom the parents will not hand over their children.

There is much self-education in adult age, and, whenever possible, radical indepen­ dent schools are founded; all this long before Francisco Ferrer, who devoted so much effort in this work and who had particularly in view the education of pupils who would be teachers in such rationalist schools.

Separation From Town Workers The peasants, then, in very large parts of Spain were utterly separated from and treated as enemies by the large landowners and the State, whilst many o f them, by local groups or sec­ tions, formed advanced bodies for local agitation and kept ready to join in general revolutionary actions, more exactly perhaps, to rise themselves for their direct social aims, whenever general movements, insurrections, a revolution made this feasible. As a rule it might be said that they kept their own counsel, but were quite aware, for a century, that the rebels of the towns, the workers rising for the Federal Republic, the Interna­ tional or the comunismo libertario were their only friends and the land­ lords, bourgeois, the State and all its tools, from the notary to the gen­ darmerie, their enemies. In some parts the peasants were kept as under a state of siege and the guardia civil and eventually the military forces took action against them as constantly, methodically and cruelly as ever did the Royal Irish Constabulary and the “ Black and tans ” in Ireland— that Ireland from which fascist volunteers are said to have gone to join the general’s work of crushing the Spanish people! These peasants and labour­ ers were starving in spite of the richest harvests which their toil had produced.

They were often prohibited from leav­ ing the villages and even their houses and hovels after dark, as the land­ owners were always afraid o f vindic­ tive acts, sabotage and incendiarism.

Peasants Take Matters Into Their Own Hands; “ Invisible Expropriation ” Living thus under the high pressure of hard work, periodical starvation and hopes placed in generous ideals and bold men preparing to fight for them, these peasants got to know exactly what they wanted, if only the armed resistance of their oppressors was weakened or broken and freedom equality and solidarity would hold their own. Neither the great Enquiry in the eighteenth century, nor the attempts at legislation during the pres­ ent Republic of 1931 were of any good to them, but as that Republic had at least nominally relaxed a little the reins of power, the peasants began at last to take matters into their own hands. There was what is called “ the

invisible expropriation," that is, ¡n a way both straight, open and matter of fact, and silent and inconspicuous, many hardships to which they for­ merly submitted, were repudiated, many useful, but forbidden things were done now* by everybody; unan­ imous friendly co-operation was the weapon o f such collective disobedience.

I know that the enemy remained ready to counteract such tactics by still greater ferocity and on some occasions horrible massacres took place, but the peasants also learned to hit back and in general the power o f silent defiance, of collective disobedience was not broken and so almost all became inspired with new hopes. When all the village with every agricultural implement marched out to seize thft land lying idle belonging to distant landlords, and put them to proper use, nothing could be done against such direct action and the whole country felt relieved to see the agrarian problem at last tackled in a direct way.

j

I

j

Revolts in Catalonia Andalusia and Aragon In these years the miners also made bold bids for freedom as at Figolo in the Catalonian mountains, and, as workers and peasants in Spain had always been friends— not ruinously estranged and hostile as in many other countries,— the F ree Commune (municipio libre), putting in practice Free Communism (comunismo libertario) became the common ideal of all pro­ ducers and their direct aim whenever the armed forces of repression were driven or defeated, be it only for a few days. Memorable attempts were made in the beginning o f 1932 and 1933 and towards the end of 1933 in Catalonia, Andalusia and Aragon.

What was done on these occasions, and what was said and explained by those who worked in this cause and stood up for it, permits one to state that the new social forms implied neither direct unlimited communism, nor any dic­ tatorial sovietism, but simply the most practical local disposal o f the existing resources, labour, materials, commod­ ities, minerals and the land, in the interest o f all who were friends and ready and able to work, with the further aim of establishing equitable relations with similar free units near and far, to make possible a fuller economic and social life.

j

Popular Front Victory Stops Progress All this happened but a few years back and was never forgotten nor was the reactionary interval (end o f 1933 to end of 1935) likely to alter people’s opinions.

What really held their hands was the electoral victory of the popular front in February, 1936: then, contrary to what the reactionists pre­ tend, the peasants and the people in general did very little o f their own, and some really expected that some­ thing might be achieved now by large reforms accepted by common consent.

Those who did not share this belief, the anarchists, did very little to contradict it in these months up to July last. All the popular ele­ ments, ^then, were ready to give the reformists a chance— and it is against this peaceful situation, not against any revolutionary attempts or plans, that the treacherous assault of the military and other conspirators o f July 17th was directed.

j

The Results of the Revolution: Co-operation and Freedom When this had happened, then, of course, as may be guessed from what has been said here, the peasants were ready to act whenever they could, and in the full spirit o f the aspirations described here. What they did and are doing, then, is neither hap­ hazard riotous excess, nor is it the effects o f excitement by outside agitators, but is really the fulfilment ol many up-to-date well-reasoned hopes and expectations. In Andalusia their hopes were frustrated as the treacherous forces when they had quelled the resistance of the practically unarmed workers, immediately were sent to the townships and villages, Carmona and so many others, where they systematically killed the com­ batants and subdued the survivors.

We hear so very little from all these

j

PurtSL 1 ause they have become shambles, a cemetery, with unarmed men working as slaves or hidden in desert wildernesses. When the cur­ tainiis drawn from the enslaved part ot bpain, the world will shudder to ('continued at foot of col. 1, p. 3)

f

3

SPAIN AND THE WORLD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24th, 1936.

The Social Revolution in Spain EC O N O M IC RECONSTRUCTION OF CATALONIA Collectivization of Industry and Commerce A new proposal for the first stage of the new economy was submitted by Juan P. Fabregas, Councillor of the Generality, representing the C .N .T .

The plan was first proposed to the Generality Council and this proposal was followed by a detailed report, which was covered in two sessions at the National Palace at Montjuich on Saturday night and Sunday, Decem­ ber 5th and 6th respectively.

The huge and luxurious palace, brilliantly illuminated, its balconies hung with banners bearing the arms of the different Catalan provinces, was filled to overflowing. It is estimated that at each session between fifteen and twenty thousand people attended, invited by special request cards which had been distributed in all syndicates, factories and other institutions.

The following speakers addressed the audience and gave a detailed account o f the new economy plan: Jose Gimenez, of the Junta of Syn­ dical Control in Economy of the C.N.T. and the F.A .I.; E. Ruiz Ponseti, Council of Economy, from the U .G .T .; Juan P. Fabragas, Councillor of Economy in the Generality o f Cata­ lonia of the C .N .T . and Luis Com panys, President of Catalonia, pre­ sided at this meeting.

Thousands of workers gathered for the first time in history to listen to the plans for a new structure of economy.

Each o f the orators explicitly de­ clared that he could not speak in the name of his organisation unless he spoke with clarity and conviction, and announced that the new plan is the most practical for the achievement o f victory over the fascists and the secu­ rity of the revolutionary aocial and economic life. (icontinued from p. 2, col. S) see the ruin and murder done there.

But in Free Spain the new work of the peasants must be called wonder­ ful.

They had a unique chance to set things right without outside inter­ ference. Unifications is but a morbid growth, only autonomy is creative and they enjoyed it.

Local wrongs re­ quire local remedies. They straight­ ened things out as best they could, weeded out the unsocial elements and made whatever new beginnings can be made under the merciless pressure of an invader close by. The young go to fight, the old and the women do the work, a rifle to hand too, for not a few of them have joined the militia. The landless took the land o f the big owners who either left or who are now content with a smaller bit o f ground. A maximum o f co-operation and a large enjoyment of individual freedom can be easily combined, as such experience shows; the baleful principles of unification and superior command are done away with. Town and country workers, and peasants, men of different degrees o f education — all are friends, if only there is a will, commonsense and a good cause. All these exist in Free Spain and are flourishing, and will develop in en­ slaved Spain, when the surviving vic­ tims of the nameless crime of Treason, Greed and Fascism, can breathe freely once more.

It was emphasised that the National Confederation of Labour and the people of Barcelona are o f the opinion that if we cannot triumph over the fascists with arms, we can do so by mastering industry.

And we cannot reconstruct life upon a new economic basis without the syndicates. Inter­ est is not only centred upon the de­ feat o f fascism, but on the building of a new society for to-morrow.

T he collectivization of the economy as proposed by Comrade Fabregas, is the weapon for victory over fascism and for making the new economic structure.

What is this new plan? It can be summarised in three stages: (1) war against fascism; (2) economic and (3) cultural development.

All these de­ pend on the functioning of the eco­ nomy not to benefit a fixed group of workers but for the common benefit o f the entire community.

The Collectivization Decree passed by the Generality a few weeks ago was not very clear and had no idealogic and revolutionary connections. After the decree, therefore, the collectiviza­ tion o f the factories was begun by the workers of each shop and factory, but no one really benefited from the col­ lectivised system except the workers engaged in these particular enterprises.

That is to say, the profits of each fac­ tory or industry were divided by the workers of the same, leaving a small profit for an emergency fund, to cover losses in other industries and for public services generally.

The objective is to abolish indi­ vidual or group egoism and to d e­ velop in its place a community responsibility. It was clearly empha­ sised at the meetings on Saturday and Sunday that each worker must a ccep t the principle o f sacrifice and be willing to deprive himself o f special com forts during the war and tne revolution until the struggle has ended triumphantly, and then each will be able to gain greater fruits from his labour.

Similar proposals for economy were put forward for use in each enter­ prise; the decrease o f unnecessary costs o f miscellaneous accommodations o f service and transportation as a means of completing our great mis­ sion.

All the speakers stressed the im por­ tance of working longer hours with greater efficiency in order to increase production.

Above all the rigid re­ sponsibility of everyone in our great struggle was repeated many times. In the audience, besides the general mass, representatives of the syndical organ­ isations were present, and these pro­ posals were warmly responded to and cheered with the greatest enthusiasm, especially when Companys made the closing statement that all responsibil­ ity rested with the workers.

TRIBU TE TO DURRUTI Im p re ssiv e Scenes B a r c e lo n a

Who are the Anarchists in Spain ?

in

Cyril Connolly, in an article on Barcelona in the New Statesman & Nation describes the scenes at Durruti’s funeral. “ W hy did half a million people turn out in the rain on this occasion, marching in silence twenty-five abreast, climbing up trees, crowding the windows to see this man’ s coffin carried on its six-hour journey by the pall-bearers? W hy did the car bring­ ing his body from Madrid have to speed through the villages in the small hours to avoid the lorry loads of wait­ ing' flowers which Jhere would be no time to fetch? It sHemed that if one could get the answer, penetrating beneath the verbose eulogies, one would understand something of the Spanish revolution.”

O f the man, he writes: " Durruti was one o f the first to realise the importance o f attacking, and led a column up to Aragon. He proved a natural organiser and his column, on the front o f Bujaroloz, be­ came famous as the perfect example o f ' organised discipline,' that is to say, o f a kind o f 1 honour system ' by which the anarchists, who detest mili­ tarism and disapprove o f all orders and words o f command, were able to establish a sort o f natural obedience to his wishes. He lived the same life as his men, accessible to all, going barefoot till all had received boots, and only differentiated from them by the possession o f a pair o f fieldglasses. “ He was put in command o f the Catalan reinforcements sent to Madrid and was killed on his way back by car from the front by a bullet in the spine, fired from behind, from the upper window of a deserted villa. His last words were " se me para el corazon,” though he had previously said that he could never regret dying now, for he had lived, in the last three months, through what had been the dream of every revolutionary for centuries.

He was a rugged, lion-like man, possessed of natural intelligence and reckless courage, capable of com ­ plete devotion to his ideals of " madre anarquia ” and to the people who shared them, and an equally untiring energy in using direct action against the capitalists who didn’t. His gift o f leadership made him an extreme danger to the Fascists (who had already shot his mother) and his death made him a revolutionary martyr, a symbol to all the parties of the Left o f the sacrifices they woiild have to make and the privations they would have to undergo.

His mammoth funeral (“ no king could have a better,” said an anarchist to me) was not only a tribute to him but an act of defiance to the enemy.”

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MORE

XXX.

BY

(continuea from previous issue) Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell, dis­ tinguished scientist, Fellow of the Royal Society, was in Malaga at the time when the British Press was cir­ culating atrocity stories; incidents which apparently took place there.

Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell wrote a long letter to the Times describing the situation as he saw it at that time.

He describes the way the Rebels were shooting prominent people in the parts captured by them, though the Loyal­ ists never shot their prisoners. “ But as the fortunes of the Government wavered,” — he writes “ as Moorish troops poured in from Africa, as munitions and armaments and trained officers poured in from Fascist Powers, and as it became clear that not even moral support was coming from Eng­ land and France, the Civil Govern­ ment o f the town became weaker and control passed more and more to the Left, the Trade Union Com ­ munist (U .G .T .) and the anarchist syndicalist group (F.A.I., C .N .T .) took the most active part in affairs. Both sets organised militia; the former were more active in trying to regulate sup­ plies and unemployment and in hous­ ing refugees. The latter specialized in arranging new hospitals for wounded soldiers and in propaganda for the future. The former attempted to bribe men into the militia by promising them permanent service in the standing Army when the war was over. The latter were bitterly opposed to all standing Armies and even their leaders refused the rank of officers in the militia.

The former thought chiefly of raising wages at the expense of what they supposed to be the capitalistic fund.

The latter were trying to organise a new Spain based on creative work of all kinds. Among the latter 1 made the acquaintance of some of the most constructive idealists I have ever met, some of them miners and carpenters, others of knowledge and culture."

Carlo Rosselli, ex-Professor in Economics at the University of Genoa, and director of the Liberal newspaper, G IU S T IZ IA E LIB ERT A , writes o f the anarchists in the following terms, in an article dealing with the situation in Catalonia: “ Catalonia comprises a large section of the Spanish population, half the country’s wealth and three-quarters of its industries. In three months Cata­ lonia has been able to substitute a new social system in the place of a tottering regime. This is due, above all, to the anarchists who have shown a remarkable spirit of moderation, of achievement and organisation . . . .

Anarcho-Syndicalism, which has always been misrepresented and abused, displays formidable construc­ tive powers. Santillan, the anarchist, recently spoke to me about the recon­ struction of a powerful war industry.

And, in fact, we have been able to appreciate the utility of this industrial mobilisation at the front itself. W e

Is not this example of the Spanish peasants of value to all progressive elements?

Almost everywhere the peasants, labourers and farmers are the stronghold of reaction, hating the towns and deeply separated from the workers. Why is this so? It is because as men, they resent subjec­ tion and will not be the dupes o f a unification which would leave them in an inferior position: they want autonomy which alone guarantees an equitable standard of equality. This has been achieved in Spain, unob­ served or nearly so, by political economists, but it is a practical fact, nevertheless, and here also lies a les­ son for those who have at heart the liberation of the world from the authoritarian, the fascist incubus.

Barcelona, December 16th.

TRIBUTES

PROMINENT

MEN

Anarchists Putting Theory Into Practice

Loyalists Advancing on the Castille Front

went to fight with just a shirt on our backs and a pair of bathing shoes on our feet.

And now, we are slowly becoming a well equipped Army.

I am not an anarchist; but I deem it my duty in the face of justice to state quite frankly my opinion on the true nature of Catalan anarchism, too often represented as a purely critical, destructive, ever criminal force. Cata­ lan anarchism is, apart from every­ thing else, a strong current in the wes­ tern workers’ movement. The Libertarian-Communists o f Catalonia are the “ voluntaries ” to whom social life in its entirety is not the result o f a mechanised development of produc­ tive forces, but the result o f creative willingness, and the struggle o f the masses.

Their starting point is the individual.

According to them the revolution must have the services o f the individual as the starting point, as the instrument and as the aim. N o bureaucratic laws, but free association of free men.

A kind of " libertarian humanism,” such is the essence of Catalan anarch­ ism which is a movement steeped in culture. Culture is its passion. Its greatest martyr was a teacher, a pedagogue: Francisco Ferrer.

The “ allegalist anarchists ” ; Durruti, Ascaso, Jover, Oliver founded in Paris a library at the time when they were being hunted in Catalonia like thieves.

I remained 75 days at the front with anarchists, and I admire them.

The Catalan anarchists are the herioc vanguard of the W estern R evo­ lution. With them has been born a new world, and it is a great joy to be able to serve it.

You, doctrinal Revolutionaries of Madrid, men of the Iln d and I llr d Internationals, reformists, and you who are mixed up in it!

When it concerns anarchism, think o f the 19th and 20th of July in Barcelona: do not forget that one o f the ablest fascist Generals, namely Godet, had scientif­ ically prepared for some time, the shattering attack on Catalonia. The strategic points were occupied before­ hand by 40,000 men. Theoretically, Barcelona had fallen . . . .

T he fate of Spain is in the hands of Catalonia.

Authoritarian Socialism and Communism look on with anguish at this phenomenon which goes beyond their written formulae . . . . (to be continued)

Revolutionary Economy At Valjunquera This village, like many others, had fallen into apathy and listlessness, and it proved no easy task to arouse it from its lethargy. Nevertheless a col­ lective group was formed by some 200 peasants. Much opposition has made itself felt through Fascist or semiFascist elements in their midst, but the association continues with un­ abated vigour in spite o f everything.

The village receives its light supply from Castellote.

There is no tele­ phone system, but by the time of g o­ ing to press it will already have been installed, since, now that red-tape formalities have been abolished, other villages in the region will give one day’s work to provide the village with telephonic communication, as has already been the case elsewhere.

The village lacks water, which has to be obtained about a quarter of a mile away.

Here the Revolution is also bringing about a great transfor­ mation. In a short space of time Val­ junquera will have an abundant sup­ ply of drinking water and will be able to irrigate the extent of land it re­ quires.

There is no mill, but on the other hand eleven hydraulic presses are em­ ployed for the extraction o f olive oil; also a factory for treating the residual products, with which it is hoped to manufacture soap.

Crops are in­ tended for export; oil, wheat, barley; wool and coal; vegetables, wine, miík’, etc.

There has previously been an at­ tempt to bring about the failure of the collectivist system.

Let all see to it that there is no repetition. We have already stated publicly that any ob ­ stacle, any sabotage aimed against the militant Revolution, shall be dearly paid for by the Revolution’s enemies.

(Espagne Antifasciste).

4

SPAIN AND THE WORLD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24th, 1936.

Defenders of Liberty

International Solidarity for the Spanish W orkers.

THE

NEED FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE HELP

LO VERS OF L IB E R T Y ‘BEHIND TH E SPANISH BARRICADES.’

by John Langdon Davies, published

by Seeker & Warburg, 12/6.

R U M A N IA The clerks and shop assistants of Bucharest have resolved to contribute a day’s wages for the Spanish Re­ publicans. In spite of the enormous difficulties placed in the way of aid to Spain— the Government arrests col­ lectors, confiscations of funds, etc.— the working population have taken up this initiative with great enthusiasm and self-sacrifice.*'’ URUGUAY

Friendly and Unfriendly A REVIEW

OF PRESS VIEW S

U n iv e rse —V e rn o n B a r tle tt —G e n e r a lita t de C a t a lu y n ia S u n d a y T im e s — M a n c h e ste r G u a rd ia n The “ Universe,” undoubtedly worried at having to rectify continually atrocity stories, by which Archbishops who are alive and well are said to have been murdered (see our first issue), has now launched a campaign disproving the atrocities which the Protestant newspaper accuses the Rebels of having committed on Protestant priests! We have never heard of unity in the Church, but we thought that in this crisis Popular Front tactics might have been adopted against those supposed “ rapers of nuns ” and “ vandals ” — labelled the “ Reds.” However, not so, and we can but hope that they will continue slandering one another for evermore and not have the time to interfere with politics of which they show the grossest ignorance.

The Truth Always Meets Opposition Vernon Bartlett in the December issue of his " W O R L D R E V IE W ” writes in the editorial that “ I have not, I am thankful to say, ever committed a major crime or in any other way made myself a subject o f controversy on the front pages of the newspapers. But I have begun to realise a little how unpleasant it must be to become an unpopular villain.

As the result of writing or broadcast­ ing about what I actually saw in Spain, and not about what people expected me to see, I have become the recipient of letters which could hardly be more bitter, reproachful or insult­ ing if I had murdered my grand­ mother and left her poor body in a cabin trunk at Waterloo Station. " And why ? Because I could not accept the view held by their writers that everybody on the government side in Spain was a murderer, a torturer, a Communist paid by Moscow and all the rest of it. " W e raise a United C ry against the Oppression of the Workers " This is the title given to the appeal, published by the “ Universe” (19th Dec.) and signed by some 4 Arch­ bishops and 13 Bishops. It includes the words of the late Pope Leo X III who said that “ Wealth has been con­ centrated in the hands of the few and too many have become proletarians’ ’ The whole appeal is based on this statement. Now, perhaps we can give a little information which might be included as a foot-note, and should bear the title " Let us practise what we preach,” followed by this list: Nearly £500,000 were found in the Bishop's palace in Madrid and handed over to the Government ("Su n day Tim es" 25/8/36)— 16 million pesetas were found in the palace of the Bishop of Vich. A total of 30,000,000 pesetas were confiscated in Catalonia alone (" Manchester Guardian " 5/8/36).

The " Little Sisters of the Poor " in Madrid left 100 million pesetas behind them when they left Madrid.

Is it surprising therefore that most sensible people cannot take these humanitarian declarations very seri­ ously?

The fact is that there are many Catholics fighting against the Official Catholic Army supported by a great majority of Moors.

The Com pany of Jesus and the National Economy The Generalitat de Cataluynia pub­ lishes a very interesting document in one of their Bulletins. It reads as follow s:

The wealth of the Company of Jesus in Spain before the 19th of July was enormous. They had about six thousand million pesetas invested in the national economy. It was the Jesuits, who held the largest shares in Spanish railways, trams, gas, elec­ tricity ,and maritime transport. They speculated in real estate in most of the larger towns and manoevred the stock exchange in favour of their own interests.

The bank and telephone services were under their contml.

Indeed in the latter they had a repre­ sentative, the Marquis of Urguijo, a famous banker, while another of their agents, Ruiz Senen, was on the board of about 40 powerful companies. The Company of Jesus had its claws in most of the heavy industry of the country in this way.

The economy was in their hands and the remaining money belonging to Spain was con­ trolled by various other religious orders, bishops and other powerful dignitaries. It was these powerful economic and social forces which were mobilized to prevent the dissolution of the religious orders.

Certain orders, after gigantic com ­ bats, were dissolved, but their in­ vestments, not only remained intact but continued to accumulate capital.

The Jesuits were willing to play at martrydom and many of them accord­ ingly set off abroad taking their gold with them whenever they could, which was another way of picking the Re­ public’s pockets. But many of them managed to stay on by joining other orders which had adapted themselves to certain local conditions, or else by acting in a private way . . . but they continued to keep their influence alive By teaching children and bringing them up.

All is Well!

Broken heart found!

To be pieced together again!

The “ Universe ” publishes infor­ mation which they esteem will bring 1joy ’ to readers. We reproduce it, both because of its entertainment value and because it shows our readers what these people, who have controlled the brain of children in Spain for so many years, must have taught them, if this incident is sufficient to bring joy. “ Great joy is being expressed at the news that the heart on the great statue which surmounted the national shrine of the Sacred Heart on the Hill of the Angels outside Madrid has been found among the debris left after the Reds had destroyed the monument. It is in three pieces.—one with the cross and flames, the other forming the heart itself, broken in the middle. The finder passed the pieces

(continued at foot of next column)

The solidarity of all workers, demo­ crats and progressive thinkers, with the Spanish Republican Government and the Spanish people fighting against fascism, is already bringing practical results.

Since the end of November a Women’s Committee has been working here, under the presi­ dency of Dr. Paulina Luissi, for the support of democratic Spain. Collec­ tions of funds have been initiated on a large scale by the members o f this Committee, in aid of the victims of fascism in Spain. A great solidarity campaign of the women o f M onte­ video for Republican Spain is being organised. District Committee branches have been formed in various parts of Montevideo, garments are being made for the Spanish fighters, etc. The collection of warm clothing has brought in excellent results.

Since the end of October the National Committee for the D efence of the Spanish Democratic Republic has published a review, “ España Democratica,” which is carrying on an energetic campaign against the allies of the Spanish fascists, and utilises word and picture to enlighten the public opinion of Uruguay on events in Spain.

The National Committee has already published a large number of leaflets for the defence of Spanish democracy.

CA N A D A The Spanish delegation, composed of Marcellino Domingo, Mrs. Palencia, and the priest, Luis Sarasola, has concluded its great tour in Canada.

It has held meetings in both the east and west of Canada, and has gathered enthusiastic crowds.

In Vancouver, Winnipeg, Windsor, and Hamilton, they were given a hearty welcome by official reception Committees.

In Winnipeg no fewer than 7,000 per­ sons, headed by the Reception Com­ mittee with the mayor, John Queen, came to the railway station and ac­ corded the delegation an enthusiastic welcome. At all the meetings, held in these places and later in Edmon­ ton, Regina, Saskatoon, Calgary, Vic­ toria, etc., men and women of many different opinions promised to give their utmost aid to Republican Spain.

The collections taken at all meetings, and swelled by contributions of wed­ ding rings, bracelets and other valuables, have yielded over 5,000 dollars. *

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These are but few of the manifesta­ tions of solidarity for the Spanish workers.

The toll of the war in human lives and the destruction of houses and property has left women and children destitute.

The hospitals are full of men and women who are incapacitated for life. They must not be allowed to die of starvation because of the lack o f solidarity on your parts.

Send your donations N O W to our Fund. All monies will be forwarded to the Committees in Spain and officially acknowledged.

Address your donations to: — SPAIN AND THE W O R LD , Temporary Offices: 207, GOSW ELL ROAD LONDON, E.C.1.

(continued from preceding column) on to Don. Rodrigo Penalosa who com ­ mands the battalion now guarding the hill.

He sent them to his aunt who is preserv­ ing it zealously in her private oratory in Zamora. The broken relic is kept on a table loaded with flowers. Mass has been celebrated on this table . . . .” This is followed by a description as to how it will be put together again, and the ceremony that will follow it.

And all this for a piece of bronze or brass . . . . and yet they are not shocked or horrified at the sight of men blown to pieces in the name of God. These are left to rot in the roads, or scooped into a hole in the ground like ordure.

LIB ERT ARIAN .

At a first glance “ Behind the Spanish Barricades ” gives one the impression of having been written in a light vein, almost with that typically English attitude that “ It could only happen in Spain.” In reality, hidden beneath this apparent superficiality and indifference is a deep understand­ ing of the Spanish situation and the mentality of the brave Spanish people fighting behind those barricades.

There is no attempt by the author to make a political study out of his book, though he declares quite defin­ itely that he is an anti-Fascist, and in the preface he appeals for a clear understanding of the Spanish War viewed from the people’s angle. “ T o the many readers who quite sincerely believe in the insincerities of our philofascist press I say, ‘ I beg o f you to believe it possible that you have been misled. Read and imagine things in terms of human men and women; of simple folk, insulted and injured, whose hope o f an end to the Dark Ages has been destroyed by rebellion subsidised from abroad. If you saw your family doomed to the conditions of the Spanish peasantry and work­ ers, would you need M oscow gold to make you cling to the little you had and fight for a little more? Remem­ ber all that you have heard o f the age­ long tyrannies o f Spain; do you realise that a victory for the Rebels means their reimposition on the remnant left alive? ” A Sentiment Born W ith The People But by his innumerable pictures of individuals, so well described in their detail, and of scenes that take place every day in Spain, there comes to the fore an important characteristic in the Spaniard’s nature: his unbounded love of Liberty, and as a result an indi­ viduality which, to our mind, we should all envy. John Strachey, writ­ ing in the Left Book News, suggested that it was a pity that “ into the new born working class movement of that date (1860’s) had strayed the brilliant, erratic, disastrous Russian aristocratic, Michel Bakunin.

He became far more influential in Spain than the Marxists.

He split the International and set a great section of the Spanish working-class movement in the rigid anarchist mould.” I have quoted this passage by Strachey because Mr. Langdon-Davies’ book shows without any doubt that anarchism is not the result of extensive propaganda as that ' of the Church or the Communist party, but is a sentiment born with the people. And even more, during this period, the Spanish people are able to show themselves as they really are: lovers of freedom.

W e are able to read tiie sileer sentimentality of the militiamen besieging the Alcazar.

Authorities have often repeated that Toledo should not have fallen, had no mercy been shown for the besieged women and children. The author de­ scribes how, when, at long last, it has been decided to blow up the Alcazar, owing to the arrival of Franco’s M oors’ “ One morning the commander of the militia (he writes), bareheaded, his arms crossed over his chest, walked out into the centre of the Plaza de Zocodover . . . down the avenue of death to the gates of the Alcazar. At the gate the rebels blindfolded him and led him in.

He had come to plead with them.

Very soon they were going to blow the whole fortress into the air. In the name of hum anity let them send out the women and chil­ dren.

They should be given safe conduct, and be fed and looked after.”

These are the men whom our gutter press describes as the barbarians, the rapers of innocent nuns, and so on!

A Collectivized Village Mr. Langdon-Davies gives us an admirable picture of the village of Selva, which, like many other villages is “ collectivized.” “ Port de la Selva is a little fishing village in a fold of the Pyrenees. The beauty of its white buildings reflected m a bay of ultramarine may be taken for granted. What is more important is that behind all the beauty the picturesqueness, the tourist-value there shelters less than the normai amount of social injustice. Port de la oelva is a fishing village practically owned by the Fishermen’s Co-operative. The fishermen own the tools of their trade, not only their nets and

their boats, but the curing factory, the stores and storehouses, the refrigera­ tion plant, the shops where daily necessities are bought, the olive oil re­ finery, the olive groves, the transport lorries to take the fish to Barcelona, the café, the hotel, the theatre and assembly rooms, everything that they need and use. They have insurance against death, accident, loss of boats, and the other dangers o f their trade.

Instead of having to work in boats belonging to middlemen, of having to sell their catch to middlemen on the quay, of having to buy their goods on the “ open ” market, they have organ­ ised an industry which at best can never bring a fortune, which normally gives its workers the barest of subsis­ tences, into something reasonably secure.

The rules o f the Cultural and Rec­ reative Section o f the Society “ Pósito Pescador ” of Port de la Selva contain several interesting things.

Thus Article 5 gives a list of people who do not have to pay a subscription to the section, the first being— “ Women who have a common life in the same dwell­ ing as a man who is a subscriber” ; the second— “ W omen who are over sixty or who live in a dwelling where there is no man over fifteen.” . . . . . . T o sit in the Café at Port de la Selva is to sit in an atmosphere of free men, and no one can understand Spain if he excludes from his idea of Spain, this reality. For there is some­ thing very Spanish about Port de la Selva and its co-operation, the spon­ taneous local experimenting in the art of living together.

It is something that must remain utterly incompre­ hensible to thostí who are condemned to live in a dormitory on the outskirts of London or New York, who are con­ tent therefore on Spain’s hour of agony to think o f it as a country full of reds in the pay of M oscow .” Be­ sides this village, the author describes the customs of peasants in Aragon; their clothes, their dwellings which “ defy description save that they are like the illustrations to some German fairy tale.”

The Communists in this country have often spoken o f the reluctance of the Anarchists to co-operate with the other parties in fighting Fascism. It is true that there had been some reluc­ tance, but the manner in which the Anarchists were treated all along clearly explains this attitude.

The Catalan rising in 1934 was quickly suppressed because the Government refused to arm the men, because to put arms in the hands o f the F.A.I. and C .N .T. was to “ put power into the hands of criminal pistoleros.” In fact, even in July, 1936, the Catalan Government refused to arm the people, as the President stated to the author in an interview. All this suspicion for men whose ideals are of the highest and noblest order, could only result in equal suspicion on their parts, and as a result a tendency to keep apart from other political movements.

W h at It M eant To Us The last chapter is entitled “ What it means to us,” and is a brilliant at­ tack on Mr. J. L. Garvin, who, like many of his reactionary colleagues, sees everything in terms o f “ class war anarchy,” and in the fall of Madrid a “ M oscow defeat.” The author clearly discusses all these points, accompany­ ing his arguments with facts, a thing which is lacking in M r. Garvin’s articles.

He concludes his excellent book with these defiant words directed to those men and women in this country who are witnessing this human struggle with complacence and apathy: “ We turn in humility to the humble folk of Spain, republicans, socialists, com­ munists, syndicalists, anarchists, who are groping in horror with their bare hands to save the light from flickering out. \\e turn in anger to those in England who want the light to die, and we cry in words to which Spain has given a new meaning, N o Passaran; they Shall Not Pass This Way.” W e have given Mr. LangdonDavies book a long review, but have succeeded in touching on but a few of the amazing things witnessed by him during these few months. We hope, though, that we have brought “ Be­ hind the Spanish Barricades ” to the notice o f our readers as one of the hnest books written as yet on the Spanish Civil War, and that at the same time we shall have rendered omage to those brave men and women £ tln& f ° r their Liberty, and ours as « 'I , as, we feel sure the author of ehind the Spanish Barricades ” wishes us to do. v.R .

Published by Thos. H. Keell, Whiteway Lolony nr. Stroud, Gloucester, on V^xi 1936, and printed by a r Press, Ltd., Faringdon, Berks, and London.