THE SPANISH COMMUNISTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23648, 4 November 1938, Page 4

THE SPANISH COMMUNISTS

TO na Kill TON Sir, —It is obvious that Mr J. J. Nyhon has not yet become acquainted with the facts about, Spain, otherwise he could not express the views he does in his recent letter to you. His view that the Spanish Government was at any time under the domination of Communists is miles wide of the mark. There are no Communists in the Spanish Government and only 16 Communists were elected to the Cortes ‘Spanish Parliament), composed of 473 member. Therefore, it is perfectly clear that the Communist share in the re-

£.pousibility of government must be very slight. Mr Nyhon refers to “ the tortures, nuUders and destruction of everything religious in Spain ” and wishes us to believe that the Government has been, and still is, inciting people to murder and destruction. I challenge him to bring adequate proofs of a single act encouraged or condoned by the Spanish Government. True, in the early days of the war, when Government Spain was disorganised by the rebellion of the armed forces andthemaintenanace of law and order was extremely difficult, acts of senseless violence and destruction were committed, but not with the approval of the Government, which made almost superhuman efforts to prevent all forms of excesses. Since the development of the People’s Republican Army under unified centralised control the discipline and morale of the soldiers and civilians on the Government side have been remarkably high. The testimony of Monsignor Fidel Martinez, Bishop of Calahorra, on a recent journey through Paris from rebel Spain had, among other things, this to say: “ The foreign allies of Franco are working for their own profit. ... They completely destroy cities and towns before even attempting to enter them. And this systematic destruction, through cowardice, through lack of bravery to attack with the bayonet, greatly disgusts the Spaniards, who in the end, will have to rebuild those towns to-day in ruins. . . . This must be admitted without subterfuge, the morale of the Republicans is admirable. In spite of the reverses suffered, in spite of the bombardments, which have not produced the demoralising effect expected, but quite the contrary, in spite of the hunger and privations suffered by many people. ... On the other hand it is necessary to confess that due to a combination of circumstances, the morale and Christian enthusiasm have diminished greatly in our zone (Franco’s) and singularly so in the army." The testimony of thousands of reliable persons is available to-day and this all shows that the Spanish Government and the Republican people are not fighting for Communism but against the invasion of their country by Hitler and Mussolini, who both want Spain because of the raw materials «t abundance there.—l am. etc.. E. W. Hunter. Spanish Medical Aid Committee. Dunedin. November 3.