NEWS FROM SPAIN

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22795, 22 August 1939, Page 13

NEWS FROM SPAIN

TO THE EDITOR OT THE TRESS. Sir, —Some time ago certain of your correspondents strenuously denied that Germany and Italy were intervening in Spain. Eventually they admitted that perhaps there had been a slight degree of intervention, but not until the International Brigade had arrived on the scene. Those statements, and they were made with great conviction, have now been proved to be utterly false. Germany and Italy, have unashamedly been celebrating • their Spanish victory. As their “volunteers” return to their homes the extent of Italo-German intervention becomes clear. Signor Mussolini said on June 8: “We did not hesitate to give our full aid openly from the first days right up to the final victory.” On June 6 Hitler reviewed in Berlin some 14,000 men who had taken part in the Spanish conflict. lu July. 1936, he declared, he had decided to accede to the request for help which General Franco addressed to him. Now that Germany, and Italy, with characteristic humanitariamsm, have “saved Spain for the Spaniards,” will General Franco be able to remain neutral in the event of a European conflict? Should Spain already be regarded as part of the axis? It seems certain that Hitler and Mussolini will exert strong pressure on General Franco to join up with the holy alliance, and ,that he is not in a very strong position to resist. However, your pro-Fascist correspondents may be able to throw some light on this matter, but I must ask them not to present distorted and false statements as they did regarding foreign intervention in Spain.—Yours, GtC ’ KENNETH LOW. August 20, 1939. TO THE EDITOR OT THE PRESS; Sir, —The cable service continues to dish up rumours coming from outside Spain of disorders occurring in Spain. These items have already, in the last few weeks, contradicted themselves several times, notably about General de Llano. Here is a real news item from Spain. Earlier this year General Franco promised the .Spanish people that 100,000 I or even 200,000 homes would be built in a relatively short space of time, using Spain’s own resources, and without recourse to anyone else. Last month, in fulfilment of that promise, the Spanish Government announced the creation of Institute Nacional de la Vivienda. Long-term loans are to be made by it, without interest, to municipal and provincial authorities and other bodies, and 20,000 houses (besides barns, stables, etc., in the country, and schools and churches where needed) are to be built this year. The Government has also approved a plan of public works, including more than 7000 miles of new. roads, besides improvements to old food* the harnessing of five rivers to^

irrigate the central plateau of Spain; and a great programme of reafforestation. These art already begun, demobilised troops being given work on these schemes. ... I suggest that such news as more interesting than the rather malicious rumours we have been reading:—Yours, CtC ” G. F. REWARD. Lincoln, August 19, 1939. i