THE WAR IN SPAIN.

Grey River Argus, 24 April 1937, Page 6

THE WAR IN SPAIN.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —I again state that the war in Spain is between progress and reaction, and it is generally known who are the reactionaries. It must hurt t “Young Idea’’ to read the day-to-day , news, for events are proving my contentions correct. I have stressed that , the Fascist murderers concentrated on the working class quarters, and the , cabled news regarding the broadcast by Miss Elenore Rathbone and the Duchess of Athol give strength to my also the statements made by the Dean of Canterbury are worthy of consideration. Gross exaggeration by “Young Idea’’ does not help his case; he should give his readers credit for some intelligence even if he hasn’t any. He should know that the proportion of Russians in Spain is very small compared with the Germans, Italians, Moors and Legionaries but they are certainly superior, both from a moral and physical point of view. Th e political consciousness, courage and efficiency of the Russians, plus the political consciousness and courage of the Spanish workers, is the biggest factor in the success of the loyalists. “Young Idea’’ uses up a lot of space on what Gil Robles said. I would point out that Robles is a Catholic Fascist, one of the worst reactionaries that Spain has known, his suppression of the working class having done more to arouse them than anything else. When General Franco led the compaign against, the, . Austurian miners, which resulted in the slaughter of hundreds of miners, he was under the reactionary Robles. Anything emanating from such a source is worthless. “Young Idea’’ has on occasions quoted from various newspapers. Almost without exception they are controlled by Lord Rothermere and Lord Beaverbrook. and it is interesting- to read what Mr Baldwin, Prime Minister, has to say about them. Here is a little: “The papers conducted by Lord Rothermere and Lord Beaverbrook are not newspapers in the ordianry acceptance of the term. They are engines of propaganda for the constantly changing policies, desires, personal wishes, personal likes and- dislikes of these two men. What are their methods? Their methods are direct falsehoods, misrepresentation, half truths, the alteration of the speaker’s meaning by publishing a sentence apart from ’ the context. Suppression and editorial criticism of speeches which are not repotted in the paper. These are methods hated alike by the public and by the whole of the rest of the press. The noble proprietors of these papers are always consistent in one thing, the increase of their sales and profits.’’ It must be obvious to your readers that “Young Idea’’ has been restricted in his choice of reading. Regarding my reference to Father Laborda, I stated in my last letter that “Young Idea’’ had asserted that he, Father Laborda, was not allowed to “speak” in the Dublin Archdiocese, I j regret the terhble mistake. I should have said “Mass,’’ instead of “speak,” but if “Young Idea” reads my previous letter he will see I stated that Father Laborda. spoke in the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, so he can hardly accuse me of a deliberate effort t 0 misquote him. “Young Idea” brings in the “Labour Party”; it may' interest him to hear that the Labour Party Conference passed a resolution “urging, the Gov- ■ ernment to press the Imperial Government to ensure the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Spain, thus leaving the Spanish people to settle their own domestic affairs.’’ I leav e it to ■ vour readers to judge as to what. would happen to Franco and Co. if the Italians. Germans. Moors Legionaries were withdrawn from Spain. It may also interest “Young Idea” to hear that the resolution on Spain, ■ passed unanimously at the Industrial Unity Conference 'just concluded in Wellington (to-day’s “Argus”), was moved by Mr .1. Roberts, president of the New Zealand Labour Party. It was Mr Roberts who, by the way, is secretary of the Waterside (Workers’ Federation, was mainly responsible for that organisation sending £3OO to the ■ Spanish Government some months ago. Incidentally, although I have in the ‘ past had occasion to attack Mr Rob- ■ erts in the press, and from the floor, I shook hands with him-and congratulated him o n his stand on the Spanish business.

It probably means nothing to “Young Idea” that every workingclass organisation in the world is behind the Spanish Government. They realise that th e Spanish people are fighting for democracy against the Fascist forces of the world, and should they be. defeated, it would mean a strengthening of Fascism, with the inevitable intensification of the Fascist terror, If the Spanish workers win. it will be a set-back for Fascism and a strengthening of the forces of Democracv.

“Young Idea” may continue to assert he is not a Fascist. His letters prove otherwise. —I am. etc.

LEFT WTNG.