FIGHT TO FINISH

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 77, 28 September 1938, Page 24

FIGHT TO FINISH

THE NEGRIN POLICY

SPANISH CABINET CHANGES

A new Spanish Cabinet has been j formed, and messages from Barcelona state that the political crisis has been settled, says the "Manchester Guardian." The trouble arose immediately over the Government's decrees bringing the Catalan war industries, until now in the hands of the autonomous Government of Catalonia, under military control, and so in effect under the Central Government. But the underlying cause of the crisis appears to have been a certain discontent among a section of the Basques and Catalans with Dr. Negrin, the Premier, and his policy of "war to a finish." The promises of support that have been given to the reconstructed Cabinet all commend the determination of the Spanish Government to fight to a finish. In particular, there is the tele- ! gram from General Miaja, the Com-mander-in-Chief, Senor Hernandez, the Commissar, and the General Staff of the Army of the Centre, which states: "We pledge to the Prime* Minister and Minister of National Defence, as head of the Government, our unshakable and most fervent support. We see in your Excellency the will of the Spanish people to fight to the final victory and the spirit of resistance which animates our people." A STRONGER TEAM. There have been two changes in the Cabinet: the one Basque Minister resigned and has been replaced* by another Basque, and the one Catalan Minister resigned and has been replaced by another Catalan. The official communique issued in Barcelona states that there has thus been assured "a Government of national union pledged to maintain the independence and the existence of Spain." In Barcelona the Cabinet is held to have been greatly strengthened by the changes. So much so that Dr. Negrin has felt himself able to leave Spain for Switzerland. He is said to be attending the International Congress of Physiology at Zurich. During his absence Senor del Vayo will be acting Premier and Minister of* Defence. The two Ministers who resigned were. Senor Jaime Aguade, the Minister of Labour, and Senor Manuel Irujo, Minister without portfolio. Senor Aguade, a member of the important Catalan Esquerra (the Catalan Government party), has been replaced by Senor Jose Moix Regas, who is a member of the Unified Catalan Socialist Party. Senor Irujo is replaced by Senor Tomas Bilbao Hospitalet. Both ! are Basque Nationalists. The Ministers who have resigned were opposed to the decrees putting the Catalan war industries under military control, as infringing autonomous rights. Senor Aguade in his letter of resignation regretted "the accentuation of a policy which it [the Catalan Esquerra] has repeatedly considered to be prejudicial to its ideals arid which does not allow it to maintain its I representation in the Government"