SPANISH LIFE UNDER WAR CONDITIONS

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 105, 5 May 1937, Page 13

SPANISH LIFE UNDER WAR CONDITIONS

Streets And Throngs of Refugees Goes On Normally in Valencia and Barcelona

TI/TK. HENRY BEINTON, the editor ot (Quarterly Nows, tells what he saw and what he thought when he visited Barcelona and Valencia.. Going to Spain is not really as exciting as its sounds—provided one keeps away from the fighting urea. I spent u I’ortnigiit in the country and never heard a shot fired, though it is true that Bort Bou, the frontier stution, was bombed the duy after 1 went in and two days before I came back. There is some shortage of food. Meals in hotels are limited to throe courses. The worst thing I hud to bear was the impossibility of getting anything but Spunish cigarettes, which are quito incredibly offeuI took a good supply of English ones with me. It lasted two days, during which 1 enjoyed a lively popularity among the English and Americans in Barcelona. There is no butter. Once only—in Valencia—l was proudly brought some by the waiter. It proved on investigation to be rather inferior margarine. Barcolona has an atmosphere of its own, which is difficult to describe. It wakes up about ten in the evening and stays awake till some hour which 1 never ascertained, as I did not stay up after 2 a.in. My hotel was in the Ramblas, a wide street with trees in the middlo, loading to the Place de Catalunya, which was the scene of fierce fighting in the first days of the rebellion.

C.N.T.; U.G.T. There are many foreigners, mostly journalists. Often groups go down the centre of the Eumbblas singing, not boisterously, but rather lik</ tho singing one used to hear from troops in England 20 years ago. One senses that the people uro content in a restrained aud quiet way. This at first is ruther surprising. Gradually one comes to understand it. Hero i« a people who have faced and overcome tho immediate threut to their freedom. They were faced by an impossible tusk —and performed -it. Now they are against tremendous odds, but they know where they are. They will win, they think, becuueo they must win. Valencia is different. It seems restrained and austere after the friendliness of Barcelona. The buildings are very white and the sky is very blue. After the damp and cold of England, the perpetual sun is glorious. In some of tho squares oranges are growing on the trees. It is cold at nights, though, and there is no coal for the central heating. At half-past ten all the street lights are put out and all windows shuttered. It is eerie walking dn the streets, unable even to see tho kerb; only the dim outline of tall buildings against the sky and every few hundred yards a deep violet light of low power that only accentuates tho gloom. Far from finding the disorders and confusions one had been led to believe, life.

In tho peace which now reigns it is difficult to picture the scenes which occurred. Tho great square was occupied by military and for»ined with machine and field guns. This position was stormed by the citizens armed with shot guns and carving knives, riding in commandeered motor cars and trams. It was supposed that you cannet iush machine guns with dinner knives—until they did it in Bar < elona. Tho only signs of these exciting happenings that I could discover were two bullet holes in the windows of the Hotel Colon. All day long and most of the night the Ramblas is thronged with militia—militia on leave from the front, militia on route for the front. Detachments of recruits for the International Column march with banners behind a band. Cars with flags drive by, cars covered with F.A.1.:

British Editor Says That Life, Apart From Darkened

apart from the darkened streets, the militia, uud the throngs of. refugees, seemed to bo normal. Workmen -were busy repairing the roads and building large blocks of flats and even banks. 1 had a long talk with the Minister of Justice. We talked a little of the war, but mainly about prisons. As he has spent 1-1 years in them himself, lie is an authority on Spanish prisons, lie told mo with the greatest eagerness the plans which lie is making to carry out far-reaching reforms. Indeed they have already been begun. Another interview was with Senor Irujo, Basque Minister in the Valencia Government, a devout Catholic and keen Basque Nationalist. His party had not originally belonged to the popular front, but joined it when the rebellion began. The Basques claim to be the oldest civilisation and the first democracy in Europe. They defied the legions of Caesar. Now they are defying the descendants of Caesar, who are seeking to do with aeroplanes and high explosives what the legions failed to accomplish. The courage of some of these people is inspiring. 1 talked to one of Senor Irujo’e secretaries, who came from San Sebastian. His house had been destroyed, his motor cars, money and property confiscated. Ho had arrived - >in Barcelona a few weeks before in a shirt and pair of trousers —hi* only remaining property. The day I talked to him one of his cousins had been shot by the rebels; yet he was

going quietly about his business. The Basques are devout Chtho* lies and stauneh upholders of Ji/criy When the Italian invasion of Abyssinia was taking place, chain l ravers wore held in the streets to ask that the Pope might be guided to use his influence on boll alf of the League and justice. Today tlie Basque troops going into action on behalf of the Government have a priest with every company. I find it difficult to write dispassionately about Spain. In my short stay I came to love the country and the people, and the least that I can do is to implore my countrymen to realise how great is the suffering of the Spanish people, and how great is our responsibility in the council of the Nations.