Looking At Spain To-Day

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 220, 17 September 1938, Page 6 (Supplement)

Looking At Spain To-Day

I'HE civil war so violently * loosed upon Spain has given rise to the most heated discussions and to the expression of the most contradictory of statements. It has also been the cause of violation of principles proclaimed And defended by men and countries f®r removed from the conflict.

Ihe origin, development and consequences ot the Spanish Civil War require a Conscientious and detailed studv before one can instruct public, opinion as to the truth at the bottom of it. all. nut tor this much observation and time are necessary and data acquired in the very theatre of happenings must be recapitulated.

'I wo factors help to explain to foreigners the situation of this fratricidal struggle: the participation of the many foreigners in the field of battle and the arrival in the I'cninsuhl of the Arabs of Morocco. With regard to the first ease it is undeniable that Russia und Kranee, both nations governed by elements of the extreme Left, have been lending to tile Spanish Government ft co operation of men. money, arms, munitions and food.. We must not forget

that in August of 10.1(1 Russian workers surrendered 1 war cent of their earnings for that inontn to send this money to the constitutional Government of Spain.

Italy and Germany, too, nations with a dictatorial regime, have given ostensible aid and in the same form to the revolutionary aide. It might be mentioned her# that the Spanish war, waged by the Spanish and for the Spanish, would have been terminated in its very (list stages If certain foreign countries had not interfered with timely aid. All the countries co-operating In the Spanish revolution have violated the principles of neutrality in the caie of civil wars, forgetful of the duties laid down by international law.

Formerly the various countries tried to hido their sympathies for one or the

other side; each of the belligerents maintained on itk side what were known as foreign legions. composed of men of different nationalities, who. in sympathy for tho 0011.44; of their group or for the pay of a mercenary, voluntarily risked ilieir lives. To-dav things have changed for tlie worse with foreign Powers lending ollieial aid to lioth sides and openly declaring their sy 111 path ios. Rival Views of War's Origin Various reasons have been put forward in explanation of this strange phenomenon, especially to those of 11s who live thousand** of miles away from the theatre of war and are not well versed in the combinations of diplomatic intrigues. According to the Right Wing, Russia, as a result of the failure of her activities for the spread of Communism amongst the Latin-American countries, has decided that the easiest road to the realisation of tnat ideal would be the spiritual conquest of Spain, the mothercountry of the Latin-Americans. The similarity of names, language, customs, blood, sentiments - and religion would facilitate the work of conversion directed from Moscow by way of the people of Spain upon the New Continent. And this, according to the Right Wing, being the reason for the collapse of the Government of Don Manuel Azana. therefore the interests of the Left Wing or Communists required that the Government of Azana should be the one which was to rise triumphant in this emergency.

Italy and Germany, anti-Communistic countries, see danger to the expansion of their political idea* in the triumph of the constitutional Government of Spain and the ensuing propagation of Communism. Others, perhaps more materially minded, find an explanation for the conduct of these two countries in their desire to obtain from the Government of General Franco, naval bases in the Spanish islands of the Mediterranean, in order to weaken the overwhelmingly strategic position which England liold* to-day as queen of the seas and sentinel of the ports of the most important waterways of the world, excepting only the inter-occanic tanal In the Isthmus of Panama.

With regard to the arrival in Spain of the Moroccans, who had been expelled from that country centuries ago after

We Should —Mind Our Own Business!

By the Hon. Senor Simon Quiros y Quiros

fierce struggles 011 the part of the Span ish ti> in their liberty and religion, the general staff of the revolutionaries allege that these Moors are to-day subjects of Spain, enjoying the same rights art any Spanish citizen, including the right to contribute to the establishment of a Government which they may consider better able to work for the happiness of the common motherland.

Some persons have taken up the Spanish conflict with unusual ardour, proclaiming the necessity of preventing the establishment of a government of ideas definitely opposed to those held

by themselves. This is a blatant case of an act of interference in the affair* of others, when treating of particular individuals, and an act of intervention when treating of the affaire of nation*.

To show the ridiculous position of those who are nie<i<lling ill Spanish politics, it in sufficient to realise that on each side of those who are lighting in the land of Murillo and Cervontes, there are many thousand* of intelligent, enlightened and patriotic citizens who as writers or philosophers are in the front rank of the sciences and arts, and who, as i* only logical, know the situation of their country better than any foreigner, and who must of neeessity bo more intimately interested in its destiny. Amongst thr followers of the revolution there are many of radically Left

tendencies and lliey are accused of being Monarchists. It might be here mentioned that the "Fas-cist l'halonx,"' a

great political power, was organised by Don Jose Antonio l'rimo de Rivera, son of the well-remembered dictator, l'rimo de Rivera, and that one of the planks, of their platform is the unanimous proportional redivision of the land ot Spain, coinciding at least on this essential point with the Government in the lirst steps of the unravelling of this cruel and pitiless war. The oniy difference in the principle of agrarian redivision is that the ''Phalanx" asks for laws for the redistribution of the hind and the "Federation of Socialistic Agricultural Workers" have learned very well the saying of Lenin: '"If the peasants wait for laws to obtain land, they will remain without land «nd without laws ; and they had put these dictums of Lenin into practice even before the outbreak of Franco's revolution.

W hat possible objection coukl be raised if the revolutionists and their Spanish sympathisers prefer a constitutional democratic government ofter the style of that of England or Belgium, to that system of republican government which has brought about dishonour to many countries ? The evil lies not in the class or system of government, but in the conduct of those governing. In any case that is what the people of Spain think, and if they «re not satisfied with the system liy which they are governed they, and they alone, are the ones who have the duty and the right to change it.

As for the attitude of those countries, especially the countries of America, who in one way or another have lent aid to eitlier of the two contestants, it is evident that they are simply violating the exalted and dearlyboujrht principle of non-intervention of one country in the internal or external affairs of another; the saving proposition, after a strenuous and noble struggle. was at last determined upon at the Convention of the "Rights and Duties of States, whieli took place at Montevideo on Decern lie r 23, 1933, and which was a (■(•opted by all the States of America. To make this article more complete it mi<rht be well to quote here Article 30 of this convention, which proclaims: "The right of States to provide for their preservation and prosperity, organising themselves for that purpose

as they consider or understand to be best." Foreign element#!, whether individuals or countries, who, violating tlie principles of neutrality, meddle in tlie affairs of others, are transgressing upon those rights. The convention signed in Havana in 1 <t-2S in connection with the duties an<l rights of States in the ca«e of civil wars lays down strict rules of conduct to lie observed by neutrals. The Rebel Government of General Franco lias juridical authority, since it exercises jurisdiction over two-thirds of Spain, including the coasts, and even England lias accredited representatives of her (Hiveriiiiient to that of tlie revolutiona lies. Two Doctrines In 1 !•:!() tlie United States of Mexico proclaimed the famous Estrada Doctrine, according to which it is an offence against the sovereignty of a State for another nation to intervene in its internal business. Those countries which have adopted this doctrine and uphold its principles do not recognise new Governments, hut limit themselves to maintaining or withdrawing their diplomatic representatives and upholding those already accredited by the other

nation, without judging precipitately or a posteriori "the right of other foreign nations to accept, maintain or change their own Governments or authorise in accordance witli what appears to them to be best."

In illustration mention may be made of the Doctrine of Tobar of Ecuador, which was substituted for that of Estrada of Mexico. Tobar says that as a remedy for internal civil wars, no Government arising from a revolution against the constitutional Government elected by popular vote should be recognised. The United States of America applied this doctrine of the legality of Governments to those of Latin America, especially during President Wilson's

term of office, and for this reason that country has committed odious acts of intervention in the home affairs of various countries, giving rise to frequent and indignant protests. _ It seems incredible that here m New Zealand, where the doctrines referred to are almost unknown, there are yet some who are partisans of the application of the Tobar Doctrine of Ecuador in the rase of Spain. Perhaps this is only the momentary partial blindness of minds inclined to support the Government of Azana. I do not wish to demonstrate the fixity of my principles, nor the stability of lega-1 rules, or of institutions, such as the League of Nations, where every day a tenacious struggle is waged to obtain the benefits of neutralit only to ignore and contradict them at the first test.

The supporters of intervention in Spain imitate in their conduct the attitude of Japan with China. This would be reason for another commentary, but I will say here what we all knnav. that •Japan accuses China of the fault of allowing dissemination in that republic of ideas and politics manifestly proCommunistic, and that the Government of the Mikado could not tolerate such proceedings, which dangerously injure her relations with the celestial republic, which Japan thinks should always maintain a Government sympathetic towards herself and consequently of favourable yiolitical principles. Thus the sovereignty and independence of China have had to be submitted to the wishes of Jajian. Japan has always endeavoured to establish Governments in China moulded on the pattern of her preference, thus absolutely destroying the noble right of election, which individuals and nations have and hold.

Here in New Zealand Japan has been identified <8. a brutal aggressor and her conduct has called forth indignant protests. I am not going to say in this article that the conduct of Japan is entirely condemnable, because ]>erhaps in the end China may discover benefits now hidden in the Japanese intervention, and the historic case of the intervention of the United States of America in Japan in the latter half of last century will perhaps repeat itself.

It saddens the soul to see that other countries are using similar political means to intervene most officiously in the Spanish civil war; especially when Spain did not take any part in the Great War and consequently neither gave away any of her territory nor enriched herself with the territory of others. And to-day there is no reason for conspiracy against the territorial union of Spain nor against the rights of a people who were once the conquerors of the New World and the old, and who are not to-day ripe for conquest. Furthermore, no country can possibly think that it has reached perfection in its ideas and systems of government; and even if it does think so it certainly lias no right to attempt to impoise its doctrines upon another State. I am no enemy of pacific propaganda and the dissemination of political ideas which may be advantageous, but this only by means of conferences and education. When an appeal to force is made to accomplish these ends against weak peoples, it becomes a black page in the history of the aggressive nation, since it

not only destroys the personality of the weaker, but also, as President Cardenas of Mexico declared recently, "contributes largely to the perversion and servitude of spirit of the very conquerors themselves." Would that the stronger nations would follow the mare humane path and seek their future satisfaction in respecting and helping younger countries instead of destroying their personality.

From the foregoing article it is clear that it would become us foreigners to conduct ourselves with discretion with re-rard to the Spanish conflict, guarding against the open display of our sympathies either for the constitutional Government or for the rebels. We should remember that there are many worthy and cultured Spaniards who support either one side or the other in their motherland (which ia after all their own business if they wish to do so), and that the attitude of foreigners who not only oppose their ideas theoretically, but also fight against them and spread propaganda in favour of either side, is somewhat ridiculous.

We Panamanians are united to I by very strong ties, and for her pZ3 I write this article, out of tygmZP for the pitiful position in which? dogs of war have placed that j which was once the legendary «i>jw Spain. Both sides have eomJS i incredible atrocities and have fonrilt? an especially bitter way when ire that the victims have been the *2 brothers of the victimisers, and H ]|? unusual or extraordinary thing to on all sides expressions of pity sons of the Iberian Peninsula and w? wise protests at their conduct wVul lias moved all the human race to abu? Permit me to say that I have to adhere to a strict neutrality in S article, as I am an enemy of forms of government imported W other latitudes where different ea2. tioiis rule, and also because all aW. |P lutifin, whether red or yellow, m B§f white, strangles that liberty which i«tW ® most precious acquisition of S| Thus we may be induced to renrit? p Spanish conflict with a dismay entodr §§ humanitarian and with no derire? f§ increase the present suffering by »—|B some intervention.