The Co-operative news. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1917-1918, 1917-11-22
NQUHITION IN
SPAIN AGAIN
Leaders of Radical Elements
Subjected to Terrible Tor
ture-GirlS Jailed

government, tne country is SUN
writhing under the lash of the mon
archists and clericals, who are de-
termined to revenge themselves for
the almost successful attempt at
liberation on the part of the OPP
pressed people.
Word has reacher Paris that So
cialists are being imprisoned and
tortured, merely because of their
political affiliations. Every worker
who belongs to a union is suspected.
Republicans are being forced to re-
cant publicly or are bounded into
exile.
Report Came Too Late
The Spanish Socialist submitted
report on their case to the recent
French congress of the party at Bor-
deauX, but it arrived too late to be
debated by the gathering. This is
to be regretted, as public airing Of
the report might have made some
impression upon the Spanish govern
ment. The following We're some of
the charges made:
SIN the province of Biscaya pris-
oners have been submitted to out
RACES recalling the most sinister
practised at Montjurich, Barmelona,
at the time of the execution of
Francisco Ferrer.
Hundreds of miners have been
arrested, in spite of the fact that
the 10000 who went on strike cou-
pie of months ago followed the in
structions of their leaders and re-
Trained from acts of violence
Tortures Resorted To
Between September 20 and &c, a
number of Socialist were thrown into
prison at Bilbao. One of those
seized, was Rebolleda, municipal
councillor of a nearby village. He
was tortured by having his fingers
twisted about wooden pegs, then
jerked out of joint. Rael Carbonell,
of the Peoples House in Bilbao, was
also imprisoned and tortured, but on
being released to await trial, he
used the opportunity to escape into
France
"Many of the accused, who de-
clined to make confessions which
might incriminate their comrades,
were told that they had been con-
demned to death, led to the place
of execution and loaded rifles level
led at the breasts. In nearly every
case, they endured the test and their
torturers were forced to take them
back to prison.
Zone young man, who refused to
the last to give any information
about the revolution, was made to
turn his back to the firing squad.
Several volleys were then discharged
in the opposite direction On each
occasion the prisoner was told that
he had escaped by a miracle, but
that the next time he would be GER
tain to fall.
Women and Girls Seized
"In order to terrorize the Social
lists, their innocent wives and daugh-
ters have been seized and thrown
into Jail. Some of these women
have been in solitary confinement
for more than 40 days, without any
charges having been filed against
them.
''The president of the Metal Work
ers' union of Biscaya province, and
the well-known Socialist doctor, Ru-
fino Gastanos, are among those who
are awiting trial on trumped-up
accusations in connection with the
revolution"
In Madrid interest centers about
the cases of Besteiro, Largo Gabal-
lero and Anguiano Saborit, all three
municipal councillors, who have been
sentenced to life Imprisonment for
their activities in the recent upris-
ing.
ResteirO To Be Reinstated
The conservative press has been
bitter in denouncing them, but in
liberal bourgeois circles scarcely less
horror has been shown at the Sc
verify Of their sentences than
among the radicals. The mayor of
Madrid called upon them in Jail and
offered his sympathy. The presi-
dent of the League to Advance the
Rights of Man and the reformist
leader, Melquiades Alvarez, also Wis
tied them.
When the minister of public in
struction notified the University of
Madrid where Besteiro was professor
of logic, that the chair was vacant
owing to the Socialists conviction
and sentence, the faculty voted unan-
imously to decline to recognize this
ruling. The rector of the university
declared in an interview that the
chair would be reserved for Besteiro.
and that he hoped the latter would
be released some day and permitted
to occupy it once more.