THE Wairarapa Age TUESDAY, JULY 28, 1936. CIVIL WAR IN SPAIN.

Wairarapa Age, 28 July 1936, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age TUESDAY, JULY 28, 1936. CIVIL WAR IN SPAIN.

As news stands at time of writing, the Government forces in Spain appear to be gaining the upper hand in nearly all areas of conflict and the prospects of the rebels who are intent on establishing a Fascist, dictatorship have declined correspondingly. Since the rebels frankly are intent on establishing themselves in power by force of arms, their failure and defeat would be in itself a matter for congratulation. It is by no means clear, however, that the collapse pf the present rebellion and the triumph of the Government forces would introduce conditions of peaceful democracy in the Spanish Republic. A somewhat fanciful picture was painted by the London “News-Chronicle,” when it wrote in a leader the other day:— It should be clear that in one more country freedom has been monstrously challenged by would-be despots, who are prepared to enlist Moors and riff-raff to enslave their own brothers. The Spanish Government is not a Red rabble, but a moderate Government of the Left

Centre, pledged to overdue reforms. This statement of the position may be accurate enough as far as it goes. The leaders of the revolt certainly are described quite fairly as would-be despots and the actual constitution of the Spanish Government, unless it has been changed in recent days of slaughter and turmoil, is definitely that of “a moderate Government of the Left Centre.” This moderate Government depends for existence, however, on the support of powerful Communist and other extreme elements which reputedly are only biding their time to establish a dictatorship of the pattern favoured by themselves. It has yet to appear that the people of Spain have any other choice than between one kind of dictatorship or another. If the present rebels are overthrown, an event which now seems at least possible, the immediate effect may be to enable the Communists to make their own bid for mastery over Spain. Whether the people of the country would be much better off under Communist regimentation than under Fascist despotism seems rather doubtful. In whatever way the present struggle for supremacy may turn, prospectg of the establishment of democratic freedom in Spain are somewhat remote.

THE CALM OF 1978. In an address the other evening to the AV ellington Society of Accountants, Mr. A. J. Mazengarb took a pleasantly philosophical view of the industrial legislation lately passed in this country. Having said that if he were temp-ted to express an opinion he would adopt the words of the Prime Minister on election night: “You have nothing to fear,” Mr. Mazengarb declared that the outstanding feature of the Government’s legislation was its moderation, and added:— If I may venture on a prophecy, it is that 42 years on, in 1978, we will look back just as calmly at the

legislation of 1936 as we do now at that of 1894. While a good many of us do not expect , to be on parade in this sublunary sphere in 1978, it need not be doubted that, short of some unforseen calamity, the people of this country will be able in that year to look back quite calmly on its past history. With the people of the present day, however, it may count for a good deal more that troubled and difficult days are likely to be experienced in the immediate future in making possible the ultimate calm to which Mr. Mazengarb has referred so pleasantly. There are several aspects and details of the Government’s legislation which tend to disturb immediate calm, particularly a lack of balance between the arrangements that are being made to increase the money incomes of some of the people, and the increased costs and prices, resulting from those arrangements, which will have to be met by all the people. Against anything to be said in favour of the policy of the present Government, there are to be set its rather obvious neglect of such details as our dependence on oversea markets, our inability to cheapen in any way the imports on which we expended, during the twelve months ended in May. last, over £M 38 (New Zealand), and the fact that internal production costs in the Dominion are being raised substantially. Not only is there time enough, but it seems , likely at present that there will be I work enough, in bringing affairs to a state which will warrant the spirit of calm contemplation MY. Mazengarb promises to the people ofi this country in 1978.