Spain at the Crossroads
Serge, Victor
Spain at the Crossroads By Victor Serge MEXICO CITY.—Tk« *****hiag invasion of Eu rope by the Allied force* may rut phaiaagist Spain from iu patrons and pre tor tors ia the Third Ketch. It...
...It is taken for granted that it is no longer in existence...
...2) Since Hitler has lost the war of Africa, the war of Russia, the war of Italy, the war of the air, tho Spanish r eg Mat* at farad with S dilemma...
...Because, winning the war and winning the peace are inseparable— Because, the relations among the peace loving peoples must be stabilized and confidence instilled in a world organization to maintain enduring peace— Because, in this gravest crisis, our country needs • tested, courageous leadership which will measure up to the historic necessity— Because, America needs a government of constant progress and the world needs s progressive AmericaAll liberal and labor forces should support for the Presidency of the United States tha stalwart crussder in the fight for freedom and an abundant life, the prophet of an unborn and happy world—FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT...
...Short at the Liberal Pmrtw eon, ention, toner* he placed Franklin D. Root*Vltt m nommation...
...Our party has nominated a man who will be elected as the chief executive of the world's greatest democracy...
...It will, then, bo nothing1 snore than a continuation of totalitarian phlangism camouflaged and adapted to international condition...
...In hours heavy with uncertainties we need men who sre unswerving in their certainty of principle, their devotion to justice, their loyalty to ideals...
...The republican emigres unanimously consider the cause of Spanish democracy betrayed...
...The accumulated hitred it *o intense that the Spaniah accomplice* of Hitler Mussolini live within the shadow of a fngt.ifui threat...
...It requires mo prophet to foresee that on the defeat of Hitler there will bo an explosion of hatred shot will threaten Franco and all of his supporters...
...He records the historic fact that they published a scheme for the formation in Spain of the supreme junta, or council, an organization which was to serve as the embryo for an authoritarian Communist-Catholic government...
...It is a clear, forthright document: tho conflict has begun between the represents Urea of Spaniah democracy and the conservative political group supporting Franco...
...But there is the possibility that it exists in secret, beyond the control of all democratic groups...
...We are aware of the enormous tasks of reconstruction confronting our nation and the entire civilized world...
...But today, even more i* at stake than in the days of that immortal Emancipator...
...He mentions their conquest of the h'li'i Etpagnol in London...
...They key our country has plenty of resources to weather any storm...
...tho reactionary loader Gil loblos took refuge ia Lisbon ami aasaaaced the fall of tho Falaage...
...They are playing for time...
...What ia certain, is that the monarchy would bt unable to organize elections and other means of ins in tainiag the totalitarian apparatus...
...Franco was a satellite of the Fuehrer, more reliable than the king of Bulgaria...
...His is a leadership dedicated to the welfare of the people—the little men—the workers—the shopkeepers—the professionals...
...Why liberals Support FDR By Samuel Shore Vict-Prttidmt, l.L.G.W.U...
...The Liberal Party pledges itself to work for the great cause of America .and all mankind...
...Then, as now, the issue was the preservation of human freedom...
...Our standard-bearer to be came forward in those frightful days with a program to end the blight of unemployment...
...The Negrin-group now asks if this supreme junta is nothing more than a bluff...
...It goes without saying that the new court cannot, without risking its very existence, convoke a Cortes elected by universal suffrage or reestablish real freedom of the press...
...A'*/ «giio Popular, the organ of the Spanish Communist Party in Mexico, has just made an appeal in the name of this supposedly phantom supreme junta, an appeal to the Spanish people to rise in immediate insurrection...
...He consistently battled this hateful and treacherous foe...
...The leadership of our standard-bearer to be it the hope of America...
...We all remember when millions of our willing and able workers—out of jobs and out of hope—pounded the pavements of our cities...
...Such are his enemies—and by them we must judge him...
...Some ssy—it does not reslly matter to much who is elected the next President...
...More than once America electrified the world through its daring and brilliant leadership in the undying cause of liberty...
...but they constitute a cry for activity, for rioting, that cannot prevent tho ultimate recognition of the monarchy by those that give their order* from the far off Kremlin, who now figure that the situation permit* them to work from both angle*: to play on the hopes of the people and on the maneuvers of "realistic" diplomacy...
...The Communists, naturally, denounce this publication as "Trotskyite-Fascist...
...It is my own opinion that this threat is real...
...It was the New Deal, conceived and inspired by him, that gave our country an effective and expanding system of social security and gave to American Labor a power and dignity it never enjoyed before...
...He would not real or consider our country secuie so long as millions of our people—innocent victims of economic depression— were ill-fed, ill-clad, and ill-housed...
...We had just had word from Europe as to the maneuvers paving the way for the restoration of the monarchy in Spain, when Churchill's speech was made...
...It includes all of the groups following Caballero and Prieto and its growing membership now amounts to 6,000 or 7,000...
...The support of the monsrchy will come from the same sources as that of the Phalange...
...The outcome of our presidential election will determine the course of human progress and freedom not only in America but throughout the world...
...His guiding hand has made America the hope of the world...
...We say that we must havt as commander-in-chief one who can mobilize and utilize these resources for the common good, both in war and in peace...
...We say that in these hours of decision, it is not enough for our country to have resources...
...He realized that nothing is more devastating to democracy than placing money above men, women and children...
...He acted quickly, decisively, with vigor and vision, in leading us out of the severe economic crisis into which our nation had been plunged by those who now again seek power...
...geaarala so* a change ahead...
...The Spanish Liberation Junta assembled and published s long manifesto refuting "tho offensive injnstice perpetrated by Winston Churchill on the Spanish people," which "constitute* a veiled inter veatioa ia tho affairs of Hat Spanish people aad convey* a distorted varaioa of tho actual situatioa in Spam today.'* The manifesto doriaraa thai "tho praise give* by the head of tho British democracy to tho traitor that handed bio coaatry soar to Hitler ia iaoomprehensiblo," and affiima that tho active sympathy of tho Spaaiah people for tho domsrrsrios has uacaaaiagly been mad* clear ia spit* of France, aad against Franco...
...Against him have been arrayed from th* very day he took public office, the predatory vested interests, the reactionaries of all shades snd stripes...
...If it is actually still alive it amounts to a threat of civil war within the future Spanish Republic...
...In well-informed circle* here the rostorsUon of the monarchy is regarded as something to be taken for granted and a move which the USSR, will piomptly approve...
...Fourscore years ago our country also had to choose a President during the heat of horror of a devastating conflict...
...sum* then religious folk took refuge in South America...
...The general opinion among Spaniah republicans is thst this maneuver will be nothing more than a temporary expedient which will very soon discredit its supporters on the outside...
...capitalist* have fad...
...s THEREFORE they *ee in the resorption of th* monarchy a temporary expedient that will save them, permitting the moat hated among them to make aa honorable retreat . . . and to skip to Argentina or somewhere else...
...The communiat totalitarian* continue to sot the stage for civil war ia Spain by launching in tho name of their non-existent and disqualified "Supreme Junta," simultaneous appeals for collaboration with the Catholics and for immediate insurrection...
...FrOM London there comes to us a document sent out by the Republican and Socialist Coalition, which is the ohVial confession of the political friends of Dr...
...Even some of tho Communists are in doubt about it...
...Protests blaze everywhere...
...Thus the Comintern continues to play with the blood of the workers, to endanger the entire population to gain it* political end...
...It will include the great landlord*, the leaders of industry, of finance and of the army...
...A republican exile said to me the other day: The Bourbons of Spain feel the need of a martyr in their family...
...My Spanish friends have pointed out to me that tho tragedy of their country has passed through several stages: (1) While Hitler was tho master of Europe, tho Fslange was wholly at his service...
...That man is the shining symbol of genuine American liberalism which is a vital and vigorous force for human advancement...
...Th* question is to see whether the monarchists will try to maintain, after the fall of Hitler and Mussolini, * regime raised by Hitler and Mussolini on the blood of 2,000,000 Spaniard...
...It is their hate that makes us love him all the more...
...Jood news comes from the newly organized Socialist Party in Algeria...
...Thi$ important tpeech...
...An ultra-reactionary and pro-falangist Mexican journal, The Free Man, set in headlines: "CHURCHILL GIVES A SLAP TO THE REBEL SPANISH REFUGEES...
...In Madrid the young socialists publish, underground but with a good deal of regularity, a paper called El Sorialitta...
...Negrin denounces without any subterfuge the crooked policies of the Communist Party and recalls that during the time of the Molotov-Ribbcntrop Pact the Spanish Communists were anti-republican, anti-socialist, and anti-war...
...When our farmers were on the brink of disasUr, he led the nation in rescuing them—saving their land, their homes, their livelihood...
...Their call to arm* can have no other result than to subject now unknown militant* to repression...
...1) Franc* began to yield to tho pressure of tho Allies, the oil embargo revealed his economic weaknr** St the same time a* tho French government in Algier* gave political freedom to tho Spanish refugees—which aroused on the peninsula a great resurgence of hope...
...expreiting th* opinion of organized labor, too* mode by Mr...
...He foresaw snd knew thst this was not an old style wsr of nation against nation, but a barbarous Nazi-Fascist war against sll humility...
...They figure that the monsrchy may la*t until the occupation of tho continent by the AngloAmerican irmiti...
...I hsve reason to know that ita partisan* have made overture...
...Adelaute, the organ of the Socialists in Mexico City, has reprinted from The New Leader the article by David Dubinsky on The Atlantic Charter...
...He refers to the fact that in September, 1942, they had plans for a coalition government to be set up in cooperation with reactionaries who were willing to play their game...
...Now it is, our country's mission once again to inspire and help mankind meet the most pressing problems of our age...
...In the face of blind or malicious opposition, he roused the spirit and armed the country to meet the challenge of ruthless aggressors...
...Negrin is well known as having formerly been a prime practicioner of the policy of collaboration with the Communists...
...4) In the face of invasion, it looks as though an Allied victory on European soil would make untenable the position of Franco, who hold* his power today only thank* to tho encouragement aero** tho Atlantic and to the help of the Nazi...
...It seem* clear that the day when a French Republic again take* the frontier of th* Pyrenees, the Spanish Bourbon* and their brcod of ex-Hitlerian* cannot hope to keep power except thiough civil war and terror...
...to soriali*la of various leanings, promising them a sort of legal status...
...According to information received in Mexico City the decision has been made in Madrid to attempt to avoid the storm by returning to the monarchy and placing on the throne Don Juan, the son of Alphonso XIII...
...He even went the length of condoning the bloody persecutions of the Comintern against its socialist and anarchist adversaries...
...The socialists rejected such proposals...
...We are aware of the imperative necessity of speeding the complete victory of the United Nations...
...He gave no quarter to the economic royalists...
...Small men cannot perform great tasks—no matter how big their ambition or how wealthy their backers...
...the underground resistance a spreading...
...We are fully aware of the economic and social need* of the American people...
...I am here merely summarizing the views of Spanish republicans and Socialists, deeply attached to their country, and generally well informed...
...His is a policy of welfare and not warfare among the nations of the world...
...It close* with the statesman that "nothing will discourage tho Spaniarda engaged ia tho struggle against Franco aad Hitler," Spaniards who "feel themselves nocoooarily linked with the cause of tho democraeiea...
...Now, a* then, our country i* fortunate in having the opportunity of electing a great and experienced leader...
...Negrin, last president of the republican cabinet...
...ONCE again our country is to have a presidential election during a great war—in the midst of a grave national emergency...
...It is the general opinion that the entire Franco outfit has settled on this move as a prudent method of covering ita retreat...
...Their game ia clear: not being able to count on the mas* of worker*, the communist-totalitarian* seek the support of tho Catholic masse* and a deal with the clergy...
...At nay rata, there are plenty of signs to snow that the whole crowd of Spanish reactionaries are worried...
...But ho has now seen a new light...
...The years 1776 and 1861 are landmarks in the history of freedom of all humanity...
...Numbered in it rank* are the great majority of the politically active republican emigres...
Vol. 27 • June 1944 • No. 24
