Manawatu Evening Standard. WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1937. THE SPANISH WAR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 197, 21 July 1937, Page 8

Manawatu Evening Standard. WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1937. THE SPANISH WAR.

For a j r ear civil war has been waged in Spain, and its legacy is extreme bitterness among the people, severe loss of life, destroyed towns and cities, and a ruined countryside where battles have been fought, and a cost in money yet to be calculated. At nine months it had lasted longer than the war between Italy and Abyssinia, and at twelve months there is no clear-cut victory apparent for either side. When and how it will end none can yet say, but the anniversary of the commencement of the bitter conflict has been signalised by a great battle on land and in the air for possession of Madrid. The insurgent forces’ recent reverse on this front, when they were driven back for a considerable distance, lost them valuable ground, and a determined effort is now being made to recapture this territory from whence to make another assault on the capital. Nearly eight months have passed since the capture of Madrid was prematurely announced, General Franco’s forces appearing to have the city within their grasp when they retired. Since then Madrid has known the awful horror of modern warfare, aeroplanes dropping ghastly cargoes of .bombs on the hapless population and their homes and buildings, of ■bombardment by the latest instruments of war on land, and of privation and hunger. Though victory for neither side can yet be claimed, the advantage on paper hitherto has been .with the insurgent forces. They have taken Badajoz, Irun, San Sebastian, Toledo, Malaga, and lately the Basque capital of Bilbao. They have also cut every road but "one out of Madrid and have not lost any large town themselves. More than half the country is in their possession and on sea the advantage mostly lies with them.

On the debit side, as a review of the conflict recently pointed out, there are the moral achievements of the Loyalists to be reckoned. They have defended themselves successfully not merely against the bulk of the professional army and Civil Guard, but also against numerous and well-equipped Italian and German volunteers and have proved their moral strength. It is also the claim of the reviewer that the Loyalists now seem to possess the advantage of big battalions. He estimates that General Franco’s forces number not more than 100,000 men, who have to be divided over a large area, and that General Miaja, the defender oi Madrid, possesses at least 200,000 fighting men. At the same time the Loyalists have a large force at Valencia, while they have the support of Catalonia, whose contribution to the Loyalist cause has

not, however, been remarkable for its value. The Government forces have also the moral advantage when facing German and Italian volunteers of fighting foreign invaders, and not their countrymen. The renewal of attacks on Madrid emphasises if anything the keenness of General Franco to reach a decisive conclusion before winter sets in with its floods, snow, and intense cold, ' while the Loyalists, who have also foreign help, hoping that time is on their side, are resisting with fervent patriotism. Meanwhile, France and Britain, faced with the breakdown of the non-intervention plans and the system of control, are straining every effort to restore the situation which existed prior to the unfortunate . incidents that followed the Deutschland affair, and so keep the conflict from spreading. The task is no easy one and is hampered at every turn by Germany and Italy, but Britain’s earnest efforts, ably aided by France, inspire the hope that success will reward her.