Manawatu Evening Standard. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1936. SPAIN’S TROUBLES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 273, 16 October 1936, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1936. SPAIN’S TROUBLES.

The internecine war now being fought with great ferocity in Spain has brought the troubles of tiiat unfortunate nation very prominently before the people of other countries, and had 11 not been for the action taken by Britain in the matter of • securing non-intervention, it is quite jHissible that outside Fascists and Uommunists might have allowed themselves to be drawn into the conflict, thus precipitating a war of great magnitude. But this danger has been happily averted by the adoption of a commonsense policy and here again Britain has proved a mediator of great value to mankind. The war in Spain is a fight between Communists (the party in power) and Fascists, the latter largely comprising the old Monarchic regime. It will continue until victory is assured for either party, and it will mean practically a war of extermination for the defeated side. The fighting has proved conclusively that the Spaniard is as brave to-day in the face of death as he was in the early history of his country, when his ' compatriots conquered a world and let it slip from their grasp. The greater part of (South and Central America speaks Spanish, and has a Spanish tradition and history, but tlie Spaniard has let the Spanish new world go its way. As a type he is physically stronger than the Frenchman or the Italian, but he is much less sagacious. Compared with his brother Latins he is slow. The Spaniards are very sombre, and they are seldom to be seen laughing in the streets. They are a backward people, supremely indifferent to the progress on which northern nations pride themselves, and they take but slight interest in the affairs of other nations. Some countries like Greece one associates with mornin"’. Spain one associates with evening—perhaps because her mariners sailed into the setting sun. In Spain it is always evening; that is why Spain more than any other country in Europe is the land of romance. It is a country of music and dance, of cypresses and orange groves, of wine, of serenades. In Spam business means less, and manners mean more. The people are hospitable. Spain is a rich country, and the people are stout through much eating and drinking, liven the beggars are stout. Curiously enough, despite the plenty which reigns there are swarms of beggars, who are believed to be more Moorish and gipsy in origin than Spanish. Once the Spaniards were gluttons for gold, but now no one wants to make money for money’s sake. The working class and

poor townsfolk are more vigorous than the educated and the aristocratic. If red youth alone could have run the revolution in Spain, it is probable that we should have seen that country emulating Russia in many of her reforms. But peasant Spain has been too long under conservative tutelage to emerge and become progressive. The city of Toledo with its ancient cathedral, but without a cinema or a tramcar, is a symbol of the old unchanging Spain. Two Spains live side, by side on the peninsula.