INTERNATIONAL NOTES

Grey River Argus, 24 April 1937, Page 5

INTERNATIONAL NOTES

WARMONGERS BANKRUPTING BRITAIN. (Contributed by “Left Wing 1 ’) Never has the threat of war been J brought home to us as greater reality than by the sensational announcement 'made in tilie HouSe of Commons by Mr. .■Neville Chamberlain, Chancellor o f the •Exchequer, that Parliamentary author, ity was to be taken to borrow £4OO- - for British defence purposes. There can be only one import and one purpose at the back of such a proposal. a s Major Atlee, Leader of the Opposition, stated was “unprece. d'ented in a time of peace.” There is little comfort to be- derived from the belief that this huge expend'ture on “preparedness” is being forced upon Great Britain by tilie rearmament, programmes of other nations. On the contrary, the latest proposal of the British Government seems to confirm the fact, flhat notwithstanding the genuine and fervant desire of all people for a just and lasting peace, sinister forces are at work throughout the world to sow the seeds of international hatred and suspicion and foster the elements of destruction. The people of England are already the heaviest taxpayers in the world. The colossal tragedy o f 1914-18 insolved Britain in an expenditure of en thousand million pounds, leaving ler with a huge war debt of eight housand milions. By way of inter.

i. est on this huge indebtedness, the . people of Britain have to pav £350,f 000.000 a year for 140 years. T o this of late years had to be added an annual expenditure of £120,000,000 for the upkeep of fighting services and £5O, 000,900 yearly for war pensions, making a total of £520,090,000 a year, or the sum of £lOOO a minute, which the people of Great Britain had to find to pay for past and future wars. Yet_ even such a stupendous expenditure is apparently inadequate to ensure national security, according to the Chancellor of the Exchequer “expenditure . for defence- is growing at such a pace that it is impossible to meet it entirely from revenue.” Tn addition to the present heavy annual defence expenditure p-ovided out of current revenue, it ’s proposed to spend during the next five years £4OO. 000,000 of loan money borrowed at 3 - per cent, with the result that the already overburdened British taxpayer will have to provide a further £12,000. 000 a year to cover interest charges on this amount. In other words, fifteen shillings out of every pound col-, lected by way of taxation is used to pay interest on money borrowed for past and future war preparations. Jews Barred;

Be-imuda," island of sunshine and haven of rich vacationers, catering to 80,000 American tourists a year, bars Jews from most of its hotels, i t . was levealod recently. The Bermuda Hotels, agents for four Beruinuda hotel shave formally set anti-Semitism as their policy. A fifth hotel, the Elbow Beach, has maintained a ban on | Jewish patrons since last summer. While .'private travel agents refu.-ed to discuss the matter, the only Gov. ernment organisation here, t‘h e Bermuda Tiavel Development Board, of 500 Fifth Ave., disclaimed responsibil. ity, calling the aetlion purely private.

NAZIS ATTACK NEGROES. Berlin, February 28.—Negroes in Harlem and in the United States gen. erally were made- the long-range targets of a renewed campaign of race hatred from the Fascist Black Corps, official, organ of the Hitler Elite Guard.

The paper carried pictures of Negro dancing couples said to be doing the “Lindy Hop”, publishing witlt the pictures insulting characterisations of ' the Negro people. Supporting .the attempts of America’s Fascist reactionaries to deprive Negroes of the last remaining vestige of their rights, the Black Corp s stated: “Negroes simply cannot be civilised. Wouldn’t it be better to civilise democracy and ith ideas of equal, ity?” “In America all men are equal Negroes can even acquire the title- of doctor. They go about elgan'tly clothed in European style. If outraged farmers did not occasionally hang one of them this picture of complete equality would be undisturbed. “On the one hand, equality of all men; on the other, the Lindy Hop—a mixture of cann.balisti c abdominal contortions and obscenity. Such a reckoning sim. ply does not balance.”

The viciousness of the anti-Negro Nazis are demanding African colonies do “civilise” and when their greedy , eyes are focussed particularly on LiIberia, semi-independent negro republic on the west coast o f Africa. -The ! campaign i s also attributed to the I smashing victories won by the Negro members of last year’s American Olyni. 'pic, when Jesse Owens, Archer Wood|ruff. Cornelins Johnston and others giound .the “superior” Nazi athletes into the dust. The Berlin Fat Livestock Show, to have been held from 6th till O.ttti May ha s been cancelled, states the National. Soeialistische Landpost, for the reason that (‘justified objections have been raised to employing fodder, already scarce, for the purpose of fattening an.mais for exhibition.”

WOMEN AT SPANISH FRONT.

Dolores Ibarruri (La iPassionaria), the famous Woman Communist and leader of Spanish people says:— She was a fighter of the militia, .dressed in a blue workers’ blouse. She ,[held a gun in her hands with such enI thusiasm as if it was not an instru- | inent of death, but a pleasing toy. With a group of cheerful militiamen, who went to war and to death with a smile on their lips, she marched silent 1 , serious and intent”. A deep flame burned in her eyes. These eyes expressed, hatred, unwavering deter, initiation and courage. I went up to her and asked:— “Where- are you from?” “From Toledo”; “Why havte you gone to the front?-”. She was silent for a few minutes and then replied:—“To fight against Fascism, -to smash the enemies of the- working-class and... io avenge my brother’s death.” “Was he killed'?” “Yes! lie was a soldier and a Communist. At the beginning of the uprising they -wanted to force him, as well as many other soldiers, to go against our brothers in if he fight against the Republic. He refused and they shot him like a dog. I camo here s 0 as to enter the ranks and take the place which he -would have flaken, and to avenge his deatlh and 1 show the Fascist, blackguards that -when men fall women take their places. We are fighting with just as much enthusiasm and courage as the men. We have learned from' them how to die-. Isn’t it right, comrade, that it is better to die than to live in the Fascist hell, in which workers in other I countries are suffering” I think she

put this question to herself, or, to be more correct, she answered the ques. ion which arose from the- vastness of her experiences. I question her comrades, I want to know about her conduct in battile. They all admire her. She is the first to go where the biggest danger threatens, with astounding cool, ness she risks her life. She and all her women comrades who defy death, and many of whom' perish, are- a regeneration of the heroines of our past history, who fought for independence and the constitution —Saguento, Numanzia, La Fadilia, Augustina de Aragon. Maria Pita, Namela Sanchar, Marianna Pineda. Women have always played an outstanding part supporting the men in their struggle for liberty and by their own examples have shown them that it is better to die than t 0 bare their heads before tflie hangmen and. 1 oppressors of ‘the people. The Guadarama heights, Madrid and many other town s were witnesses to the heroism of women, fighting against a strong and mighty enemy. Women go to flheir death with a cheerful song upon their lips. They .put heart into those who lose- courage and call them to the struggle. This happened near Alto de Leon, Somosierra, etc. These numerous unknown heroes like an undying flame will'live in the history of the struggle of our country against inaction.

GERMAN SEAMEN REFUSE TO SUPPLY REBELS.

In spite of the campaign of slander carried on in the Germans press against the Spanish Republican fighters and in spite o f The efforts of the Nazis to con. veal from the German people- that! Hitler together with Mussolini are at the bottom o f the Fascist rebellion and send soldiers and weapons to Franco, -rhe terrorised German working-class is getting to know the truth and make resistance. Recently the crew of a German ship, the Henrika, went on strike in Rottodam because the- vessel had munitions destined for the rebels on board. For three weeks the- captain of the vessel endeavoured to get another crew and finally he managed io geft a mixed crew who took the vessel to a rebel port. The action of the German seamen is all the more commendable if one considers tihat fori them, subject to Fascist terror as t-tey are- such actions are far more difficult than for the seamen of other nationalities. All The more regrettable, therefore, that the captain of' the ship succeeded in getting another crew. This case shows that tjhe organisation of the dockers and seam'en must exercise still greater vigilance .in the ports to prevent) recurrence of such cases in future. It is necessary t 0 rally t 0 the aid German fellow-workers placed in a similar position and to definitely pre. vent the despatch of such ships. MADRID BROADCASTS Broadcasts in English, from Madrid are being given daily and short-wave fans should tune is as follows:— Every day, 6 a.m. to 7.45 a.m. o n 3143 meties: News session. Times 7.30-7.45 a.m.; 11.30 to 11.45 a.m.; 12.30 to 12.45 p.m'. Station No. 2, every day on 31.63

metres, 7.45 to 9 a.m. on Wednesdays and Saturday music, news and talks are given.

A FIGHTER’S STORY. Harry ll'ollit.t, English Communist, write-:— Yesterday a comrade- came to see me, having come straight from' the fietce fighting round Madrid. He has been in this section of the battle-front since last. September. To get a word out of him about his work and that of his comrades was like drawing teet-h. “We only did our job” he- kept saying. “But what was the job, o ur readers want to know. They feel proud of the work you have done and are doing,” I replied. “Oh well, I can’t tell you everything and about all, of our experiences, but perhaps this will be of interest. You know I went out with Comrades Maclaurin, Yates and Symes. “Well, in the first days of November we were in one of the hottest parts of the fighting. Machine-gun volunteers were asked for to hold a farm that occupied a strategical po-ition on November 9. We four offered to thke the job on. “We did what we- could. Soon ott that, part of the front we were outnumbered by the Foreign Legion, but by God, we let them have it hot and strong. Then we were surrounded and seemed to be in a veritable death-

“Comrade Maelaurin and Yates were shot down, gunning to tlhe last. Comrade Symes was badly wounded, and' some Spanish comrades and myself carried him out. Finally we were relieved, and the comrades told us that our little group had saved the position on that pait of the front. “When a check-up wa s made it was estimated hat 500. out of 600 of the Foreign Legion had been put- paid' to. That’s all.”

“Ills enough,” I said “Thousands of our readers will glow with pride when they read of what the comrades did, and how in very truth they proved -that Fascism shall not pass.”

The comrade hadn’t left my room five- minutes when a letter came from India containing £2O. It, stated it -was 'sent from India by sympathisers with the cause of the Spanish people and I to help the International Brigade”. It was quickly followed by a donation from members of the- British Institute, Engineering Technology, of £3 3s. Spain has certainly aroused the gieatest demonstration of international solidarity tlhe world has- ever known. ETHIOPIAN IN SPAIN. Valencia, Spain, February 25. —Glivet Imru, the son of Ras Imru, heroic E.th'opian general, has just arrived here to continue the struggle against Fase sm in the ranks of the Spanish People’s Front. He has given an interview' to “Fuente Rojo,” Valencia Communist paper “My father was the last to re-ist Italian Fascism,” he stated. “Abyssinia wil never submit to the yoke of Mussolini. Not one of us re. nounee the rights of a free people and that is why I am' here. “To-day it is evident that Spain, as was the case with my country, is being! attacked by those who wish to submit

Hie entire world to their interests. The fu.lure of all free peoples, of all op. pressed countries, depends on the outcome of this war. T o struggle for Spain therefore means to struggle for the independence of Abyssinia.” Questioned on the situation in E.thi* tpia_. Glivet declared; “Our people are continuing to fight, in d ; sper.-ed groups and taking into account the possibilities of struggle. Nevertheless, it is waging a systematic resistance-. The Fascists are using frightful methods of torture, and our peasants and women direct their curses against them. “This regime of oppression is fright, ful. They resort to pillaging, murder and arson. The entire world should know what Fascist ‘civilisation’ means for our poor land. “No people has ever yet had to suf. fer such tyranny as Mussolini’s sold. ier s have brought us. My fellow countrymen still hope firmly in y-our victories. There are- many Abyssinhopeful of struggling alongside you in the trenches of Madrid.”

Italian Submarine Torpedoes Spanish Solidarity Ship: An Italian submarine attacked the Spanish freighter Navarra, en route from France to Spain with a cargo of medical stores, food and clothing which had been collected and made by French people. The attack occurred when the vessel was off Barcelona. Four tor. pedoes were fired. Three missed, but the- fourth hit the Navaria near the bow. With great presence of mind the captain of the Navarra ran the ship ashore, thus saving the greater pait of the cargo. The representative of the French Solidarity Committee 'ie. sponsible for the sending o f the ship, Bassett, was killed during the bombardment of the vessel.

Fascist Council and. Birth Rate: Rome March 1, —The Fascist Grand Council met to-night to consider ways and mean s of raising the birth-rate to increase the- man-power of future Italian armies and also of a huge arma. mentis programme in preparation for a war on democracy. The Grand Coun. eil is expected to place new buidens, on bachelors and childless couples, including higher taxes and po sible confiscation of property of wilfully childless persons at death. In addition, the Council is expected to order the despatch of new motorised division to Ethiopia, after the murder of Ras Dcsta Demtu, Ethiopian chieftain lead, .ing guerrilla detachments against the Fascist invaders