The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-04
Aid to Masses
InSpain Asked
By Barbusse
Collections for Terror
Victims Should Be
Sent to LID.
BY HENRI BARBUssE

OuLul6 LIE tllIEE years WHICH
have passed since the workers and
peasants Of Spain overthrow the
the leaders Of the Spanish
Republic have fully shown their
degradation and treason. It has be-
come quite apparent that the demo-
cratic governments strive to sabo-
tage the national revolution, and to
bring about on the ruins Of the old
regime Of Primo de Rivera and
Alphonse II, the establishment Of
a Directory and Of royalty.
The new regime, which had con.
tinued to remain anti-proletarian,
is openly showing itself to be reac-
tionary. The Catholic Fascist Party
Of Gil Robles-L' Accion Popular
which supports the large landown-
erS the church and the militarists
(and is in turn supported by them)
against ''Marxists and Jews" has,
during the last few months, exercised
an ever growing influence on the
internal policy Of Spain. After hav-
ing been behind the scenes real
master Of the country, and having
encouraged a tremendous increase
in the membership Of fascist organi-
cations in Spain, Gil Robes Official
ly took power. Following the sudden
removal of Minister Sanper, Gil
Robes became minister.
These startling and disgraceful
collisions, accompanied by various
prosecutions against the workers
and peasants, measures in the in
terest of the large landowners and
jesuits, police provocations, and the
despotism of the authorities with
reference to Catalonia-called forth
such violent and general indigna-
ton, that the strike broke out and
spread very rapidly over the whole
country.
Sent Army Against Workers
The government sent out the army
against the workers, including the
colonial troops, cannons, machine
guns, bombs, tanks and airplanes, as
well as the fascist organizations and
professional strikebreakers.
And now over the territory of the
whole peninsula, around the still
flaming struggle Of the Astuian
miners, there RACES the widest and
most savage repression which is
literally annihilating the Spanish
population. $4,000 imprisoned, 5000
killed, 5000 wounded-this is the
balance-sheet at the present mo-
ment.
The government of the radical"
.LeToux, after having handed over
the military dictatorship to General
Franco (who formerly, as a refugee
in France, wept crocodile tears on
the subject Of democracy, and to
General Goded-is carrying out, on
a big scale, the mass slaughter which
was begun in Austria by DollfuSs,
killed too late by others like him.
And now we witness a political
pogrom the like Of which is unpre-
cedented even in the annals Of con-
temporary capitalist barbarism. They
shoot, behead, and hang.
A mighty and threatening wave Of
protest must arise everywhere and
must rally all forces against these
methods of provocation and mass
slaughter. Mighty international soli-
darity must hasten to the aid OF
the "Alliancia Obrera" (Workers
Alliance) which so nobly and so
heroically fought for liberty and the
right Of existence, for bread and
for social justice-a struggle con-
Quoted over the heads of the parties.
and under the banner of united
front.
Stresses Fascination
And we, here in the various coun-
tries, must not try to close our eyes
to the fact that there is an astound-
ing similarity between the historical
events in Spain and the fascination
which is developing in all the capi-
talist countries.
What occurred yesterday in Italy,
in Germany, in Poland, and in the
Balkans, what is happening today
in Spain, will take place tomorrow
in France, in England, and in every
other country-if we fail to raise
massive block Of protest against
such events, and if we will fail to
force united resistance.
This is not a matter Of conflict
between political parties. This scars
far above such conflict. 1t is a met
ter of supreme struggle for liberty
and social progress which is now
being checked in some countries,
and is in danger in others. This is a
question confronting the whole Of
humanity. A question of slavery or
salvation, a question of life or death.
We ask everybody to subscribe to
this appeal.
Funds for transmission to the
Spanish LID, for the victims Of
the terror, the prisoners in jail, the
widows and orphans of the workers
and peasants who have been MUIR
dered, and the wives and children
of the prisoners, should be sent to
the national office Of the Interna-
tional Labor Defense, Room 610, 80
East 18th Street.
AFFAIRS FOR THE
nAuV WTnDK I'D