INTERNATIONAL NOTES

Grey River Argus, 6 March 1937, Page 11

INTERNATIONAL NOTES

SPANISH FAIRY TALES. (Contributed by “Left Wing”) Says the “Workers’ Weekly,” Wellington:—The “Daily Mail” organ of the millionaire pro-Fascist, Lord Roth, ermere has just excelled itself by telling a story about British unemployed men who were decoyed' to Spain on the promise of work and then shanghaied 1 into the People’s Army. Every person who reads the London “Da.ly Worker,” or is in any way conversant with the position w-il'h regard to English volunteers, will know Ihow perfect, ly absurd is such nonsense. The Communist ’. party of Great- Britain is eon. ducting a perfectly open and vigorous campaign. Instead of needing- to re-, sort to sugterfuges to/get volunteers, there are more than can be sent. away. The British Party (aided by interested workers) has to organise the fin. ancing of the British Brigade, support for dependents, etc., ttiud though it has done remarkable work, it has been unable to send all those who are keen to go. The “Workers’ Weekly" Spanish Fund: is utilised for this purpose and Harry Pollitt tells of the- good work performed by the British Brigade. The Editor of the “Workers’ Week, ly” states: —The following, from an Irish correspondent, illustrates 11." fact, that democratic people, whatever their nationality or relig.on, are supporting the Spanish Government in its fight againsf the forces of reaction.— It is reported that an Irishman named Barry, a member of the famous International Column has been killed in a recent engagement on the outskirts of Madrid, Another Irishman, Tommy Patten, of Aehill, Co. Mayo, is reported missing. These two Irishmen, it is reported, volunteered' to hold off attackers with rifles while other members of the Column were dismantling and escaping with a battery of machine guns in danger of being captured. The two held the attackers at bay but When the Government, forces re. entered the position there was no trace of Patten, ami! Barry was found dead W ith his rifle still clasped in his hands.

Hopes are held that Patten may have succeeded in escaping capture by the enemy and had been only temporarily cut off. A. correspoin'dent of a London news, paper, who recently had> a talk with Patten,, asked him why he —a Catholic from County Mayo—was fighting with the Spanish Government after the newspaper stories of anti-religious atrocities supposed to have been commit, ted by the Government forces. To this Tommy Patten replied: “I know, and you know, the stories are untrue. Also, I would like to remind you, and as many of my fellow Catholics as my voice will reach, that many of theforemost and noblest of the Spanish Catholics have publicly declared their support fo'r the Spanish; Government, and proclaimed the duty of good Catholics to combat the Fascist barbarians. “And what about those . Catholics fighting for the- Government,, many of them murdered by tflre Fascists because they were loyal it 0 the Republic? “I,

as an Irishman, understand why the Spanish people are forced' to fight even for the right to live. I have seen the conditions they live in, tUreir miserable homes and their terrible- poverty. “As Io atrocities. I will tell you the whole story of snnie-thing that happened to a comrade of mine in this country. “It was out in University City the other day. We were holding a. very rough line during t'lre night when one of our French comrades was separated from u s in an advanced. 1 position. It was a. quiet night and he slept, like the rest, of us, except for those on guard.

In the night Moors crept, forward, found him sleeping there-, and l first gouged his eyes out as he lay there helpless. “I am happy to be fighting here for tlie Government, because J am an Irishman and a. Catholic. We know what we tire fighting for —we are fighting for a freer and better world.” Every Irishman and' woman who believes in freedom and hates tyranny will feel proud that men Eke Patten Frank Ryan, Bill Scott and many ot'lrers have willingly gone to Madrid to let the world know that O’Duffy and his “Black and Tans” do. not represent the real, people of Ireland'—Re. publican, Labour and Democratic Ireland. The Irish section of the- International Column will avenge the death of the Comrade Barry by striking a hard and quick blow at the Fascist enemy.

The “Workers Weekly,” Wellington says:—One of the most- experienced correspondents in Spain,, interviewed by “The Week”, London, England, has given an objective summary of the course of foreign intervention in the civil war. In his opnion. General Franco would have been defeated in the first, month of the war but for the active assistance of Italy and Germany At Caceres, by rhe end of October fihe Fascists had 4G German planes, principally bombers,, manned by 150 German pilots, mechanicians and- groundmen who spoke no more than a. few words of Spanish and conversed with rebel ollie,ors only through Interpreters.

One significant fact is that these skilled German pilots were in mo sense volunteers; they were transferred from regular duty in the Reich air force and ordered Io .Spain “on loam” to General Franco. The correspondent personally checked- on the presence of 225 German planes and 600 trained men in Fascist Spain, which they mrtered via IPortuguese territory “wsith the full knowledge- of the Portuguese Government.” When queried concerning alleged Russian assistance- to the Government of Spain, the correspondent said that he had seen no Russian planes o r material. Rumours of Russian prison* e-rs captured invariably proved' to bo false.

At the outset of the revolt, the foreign planes supplied to Franco were Italian, but now there is a definite un. dektstanding between Italy anid Germany. Planes., bombs and machinegun ammunition are supplied by Germany. Tanks heavy and light artil. lory, field mortars and shells —all the Ih-eayy material —is supplied by Italy. The tank drivers, machine goners and

artillery officers are nearly'- all Ital> ian. The- foreign personnel regard their service in Spain merely- as “advanced training,” They check closely the performance of the various planes and

weapons, and note down suggestions for improvement. The numbeg- of Spaniards killed, and the damage done to .Spanish property is to them “an indication of the effectiveness of their weapons.”