HOPE FOR SPAIN.

Evening Star, Issue 22723, 10 August 1937, Page 8

HOPE FOR SPAIN.

Fok more than a year the conflict in Spain has been fought with extreme bitterness. It has been waged on both sides with a crudity that seems to have known no restraint. On both, sides leaders have declared that they will not think ,of conciliation or compromise. Nothing else but the most decisive victory, of which both profess to he equally assured, will content them. The outlook for a reasonable settlement would seem hopeless bub for two facts—and possibly a third—that may conduce to it. The first was the reconstitution of the Loyalist Government in May by which its most extreme elements, the Anarchists, were got rid of. By that purge, and steps taken to restrain the riff-raff followers by whom the worst excesses had been committed, it was sought to show that tho Government of Spain was not a Government of irrcsponsibles, but ono in which tho best elements of foreign countries could put their faith. The Franco side has had a like experience in tho necessity that has been forced upon it of subordinating its Phalangists —Spanish Fascists as impatient of authority as tho Anarchists. The discouragement of the worst extremism on both sides narrows the gulf between them, inevitably if not designedly, and the second fact which contributes to that process is reported to-day. Tho Madrid correspondent of ‘ Tho Times,’ summing up tho prospects for a peaceful settlement, which ho found generally most discouraging, in a recent article, concludes his analysis ns follows;—“There remains tho spiritual sphere. The Nationalists believe they

are fighting a crusade. Valencia, on the other hand, disclaims any bias or hostility towards the church. If the Spanish Government, besides talking about the re-establishment of worship, would do something practical to that end, it would bo the most effective overture of peace which in the circumstances could bo made.” And to-day it is announced that the Government has decided to make liberty of worship, which is a constitutional principle, a reality. Anti-clericalism, it is explained, could not be prevented in the early stages of the civil war, but tho Government is now reopening churches as speedily as possible. In Madrid religious rites are being resumed, causing satisfaction to thousands who had been deprived of them. If the war is not a crusade, for one side, nor a war against Fascism (which was never really in question till the Italians and Nazis intervened in it) for the other, there seems the smallest cause for it to continue. Tho third fact is that if it does continue a decisive victory for this party or the other seems to bo tho most distant prospect. According to the correspondent we have quoted, both sides have sufficient war material, without any more additions, to protract the war through the summer and well into the autumn. The rebels have taken Bilbao. If they take Santander their efforts will bo concentrated probably against Madrid. But a writer in tho ‘ Spectator ’ agrees with ‘ The Times ’ authority that Madrid will not he easy to take. The success against Bilbao docs not promise well for that next attempt by the insurgents, because Bilbao took too long to conquer—two and a-half months —and cost them too heavily—2o,ooo casualties by their own admission. They lost more men than they had hoped to release for service against Madrid, and this despite the fact that the Basques at Bilbao were cut off from the rest of Spain, had less artillery than their attackers, and no aircraft, where their opponents could muster 100 planes. Until the last days over 20 battalions out of 79 had no machine guns. Madrid, Valencia, and Barcelona do not lack aerial defence. The military machines at their command probably exceed the total sold or lent to Franco; their artillery is at least equal to his, and their mobilised man power larger. The defence of both sides has been stronger than their offence. It is a long war that threatens by this analysis. With Fascists and Anarchists both restrained, the com-mon-sense plan would be a National Government to end it.