The Conflict in Spain

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 174, 26 July 1938, Page 8

The Conflict in Spain

AGGRESSION CONDEMNED BY AIRS. W. A. HOLMAN Under the auspices of the Spanish Medical Aid Committee, Mrs. W. A. Holman, of Sydney, wife of a former Premier of New South Wales, addressed a public meeting in the Opera House supper-room last night. Supporting her were three local speakers. There was an attendance of about 40. Mr. F. J. Lewin, who was iu the chair, extended a welcome to Mrs. Holman and said he trusted her mission in New Zealand would meet with every success. Mrs. Linda Bennett, the first speaker, said there were two lies people told about Spain that annoyed her. The first was that Franco was the champion of democracy fighting against Communism. It was obvious, if we looked at the history of Spain, that we should be supporting the Government of Spain for all we were worth. Tho second lie was that Franco was fighting for the Christian Church against the infidel; yet Franco was the man who had brought the Moors back into Spain and who had over-run the Basque country, wiping out the most religious of the Spanish people. Every war had been fought ou an economic issue, and so was this. Franco was being backed up by Germany and Italy on an economic issue, and if he won, the speaker believed that the conflict would bring the world a step nearer the big war that was threatened. War was one of the paramount evils of modern society, stated Pastor J. A. Tyrell-Baxter, and every effort should be made to annihilate it. However, while we had to put up with conflicts, we should endeavour to see what we eould do for those who were suffering as a result of war’s miseries. We must recognise that every human being in this world came from the same stock, and that these folk, even though W 6 called them foreigners, were brothers and deserving of our help in their hour of dire need. Dr. W. M. Smith said the issue regarding Spain was simple—upon which side right lay. The wanton slaying of people, he said, was prima facie evidence that the case of the side which was responsible, was not right. Courage was needed to stand up and say the things that were happening in Spain were not right, and the longer we retreated, the longer wo prevaricated, and the longer we found excuses, the longer the trouble would remain, and the likelihood of ultimate war increased. Why did we not stand up to the dictators? For tho reason, we had to get down to the roots of human selfishness. “The cause of democracy in Spain is your cause and my cause,” stated Mrs. Holman. She was concerned with the ultimate outcome of the conflict, and she thought we could not do enough in giving the oppressed people of that country our support. The lie that Franco was fighting for democracy was a stupid one. An arch-demon, he was slaughtering his fellow-countrymen with Moors. What Christianity was there in that? Non-intervention had been a farce, and she criticised the attitude of the British Government, pointing out that every by-election at Home sineo had gone against the Government, which fact showed tfie mind of the people. Franco would have been settled in a few months but for Germany and Italy. Hitler was attacking Christianity in Germany; yet in Spain he claimed to be the protector of Christianity. If Franco should win, it would be a toss for power between Germany and Italy. It was a war of frightfulness, with as many women and children being killed as men. There was no question as to which side right was on; in Spain there was a properly-constituted Government, and left to themselves they would have been out of harm’s way. On the conclusion of her address, Mrs. Holman was accorded a vote of thanks.