VOLUNTEERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 29, 4 February 1937, Page 10

VOLUNTEERS.

FOR SPANISH WAR.

CURIOUS POSITION IN

ENGLAND. COMMUNISTS AND SCOTLAND YARD. (By 0. S. COX and J. A. MULGAN.) LONDON, January 16. It came as no surprise to this country when last week Mr. Anthony Eden, in a further effort to encourage gentlemanly behaviour on the Continent, announced that Englishmen going abroad to fight in Spain would be prosecuted under the Foreign Enlistment Act of 1870. ("The Autograph-hunter," New Zealand'* cartoonist, David Low, called Mr. Eden recently, referring derisively to hie faith in pacts like the Anglo-Italian agreement. Mr. Eden's etock is not very high in this country at present, even with his own party.) This Act of 1870 was passed originally as a result of the famous "Alabama case" in the American Civil War. It was not applied against Kitchener, who served as a volunteer in the Franco-Prussian War. It was invoked against Jamieson, leader of the disastrous raid in 1893. Volunteering in England in connection with the Spanish Civil War has not been of remarkable magnitude, but it has been steady. It remains true to eay that the English people do not yet regard the Spanish war as their affair; though they have an uneasy feeling that it might well become so. The email but active Communist party hae been a direct and constant organiser, and its activities in thie matter (whatever one may think of the political principles involved) has led to a large increase in its membership. (Its newspaper, the "Daily Worker," has a larger circulation than "The Times.") Communist Activity. So far the party hae eent something like 750 men to Spain. Volunteers are interviewed at the recruiting etation in King's Cross, London, and are put through a fairly rigorous test examination, including a medical overhaul ae strict as for the army, which involves, many rejects on the ground of unfitness. "Are you a member of the Communist party?" "Have you had any previous military experience?" are the main lines of further examination. A New Zea- | land volunteer described to vm the diffi- \ culty which he experienced in convinc- | ing those in charge that he might want I to fight for the Spanish Government (for five peeetas—under a shilling—a day) without being necessarily a member of '•the party." The.Spanish Government, incidentally, knows nothing officially of these recruiting organisations; they go to Spain through the office* of the Communist party there. At present there are six Australian nurses and about 20 Australians and New Zealanders serving the Spanish Government in Madrid. "We have eent so far 750 men," said Mr. Harry Pollitt, Communist leader. "By the end of the week we shall have sent 800. That is our answer to Mr. Eden." Shadowed by Detectives. The legal position which is developing ie very curious. The police so far, we understood, have no instructions to arrest or prosecute anyone suspected of these activities; but Scotland Yard is fully occupied—as well ae its influenzadepleted personnel allows—in shadowing those well known to be engaged in this work and observing their activities. An amusing and, one thinks, typically British incident, occurred in this connection during the week when officials of the I.L.P. (Independent Labour party—left wing of the party) found themselves being shadowed all over London. One man followed by a detective boarded a bus; the bus was full and the detective had to reveal his identity to be allowed on. The official went to a house at St. John's Wood, where the detective saw several young men arrive. It turned out to be an I.L.P. weekly psychology class. At the party's headquarters just off Whitehall, Mr. Fenner Brockway, the secretary, found that they were being observed by C.I.D. men, who had hired a room opposite for the purpose. He rang up Scotland Yard (Whitehall 1212—the number every Londoner knows) and asked whether he could ask the men over to tea, feeling sure, as he said, that their quarters were cold and uncomfortable. Officials said that they knew nothing of these men, but yee, ask them to tea by all means. A letter sent across with the invitation came back with the answer that the matter must be referred to headquarters, and there the matter rests. Such incidents do not affect the issue at stake nor the actions that will b e taken by either party, but they do seem to show that whatever happens in England, it will happen in an English way. Meanwhile, the jreneral position with regard to volunteering in ,Spain remains obscure.. The French Government, rathe* Surprisingly; seems prepared to

follow England's lead. There is no possibility of Germany or Italy doing this, and handsome General Goering's visit to Signor Mussolini ie probably as much a "war Conference" ae anythi.ig. The rebel push for Madrid is not being carried home as rapidly or effectively ae was expected. One reason for this may be that the Germane do not want a swift rebel victory until they have thoroughly permeated the Iberian peninsula and are well ensconced in the different mines and trade connections which they expect. Nor can one say clearly what is happening in Morocco, where French firmness seems for the moment to have had some results. But it should be noticed that this German penetration began in Morocco several months ago and the sudden flare-up last week —reminiscent as it was of pre-war scares—was only a flash on the surface of a long drawn diplomatic struggle which is going on underneath. And in this at leaet the British are definitely interested.

Mr. Keynes and the Next Slump. All the world knows J. M. Keynee, England's most famous economist, remembered particularly for the way in which directly after Versailles he prophesied the (.".'. astrous consequences of reparations. (His book on the Economic Consequences, of the Great War sold 20,000 copies in eix months.) This week he had two most interesting feature articles in "The Times," putting forward remedies for the next depression about which economists are already worrying. In his diagnosis of the present -situation Mr. Keynes linde that Britain ie now well advanced on the upward curve and that with the new freedom given by the downfall of the gold standard, hae a unique opportunity' to mould her economic policy. (It should be remembered that there have been' depressions before but never yet has any Government known enough to anticipate them.) Broadly stated, Mr. Keynes' theory— and that accepted by most leading economists—is that the slump must be avoided by preventing over-investment in capital goods—that is, machinery, etc. The slump must be stopped by checking the boom. Boom conditions should be stopped by high taxes and by deliberately postponing public works. Imports should be encouraged even if the trade balance is adverse. - Further, the Government should have its public works schemee ready—not to add to the boom as it exists—but to bring into play as soon as the downward curve commences. In this connection his advice w particularly salutary, for the Government has at present a huge scheme for road development which it is about to launch, this on top of the present huge expenditure on armaments and normai trade activity. There is, of course, in England the special case of the special areas to be 'considered, which have yet in no eense had their boom, but this does not contradict the general tenor of hie advice. - New Zealand, though dependent on a totally different set of trade conditions, may well be interested in what he says.