Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-08-13
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
Continued from Page ~

German CITIZENS nau Deen hlliCu III
the course of the Spanish revolution,
and Europe breathed a sigh OF rel1ef
when Germanys neutrality assurance
came soon after news of the killings
had become known.
AS Russia is military ally OF
France, it was taken for granted that
Moscow would declare its willingness
to abstain from Intervention. 1t ala,
too, that is, the government declared
that it would not become a party TO
action for or against any OF the nght-
ing groups; at the same time, how
ever, it permitted it's citizens to COL
lect and send to the Spanish govern
ment rather large funds with which
to combat the spectre OF fasc1sm.
Those collections, it is presumed,
will have to cease now as they would
constitute a violation Of the spirit
and the fact of neutrality.
u.s.. Attitude.
1t has not been expected that the
United States would be drawn into
the Spanish conflict, and nobody now
thinks that will happen. But the
Washington government has urged its
nationals to flee while it is still
time, and has also served notice upon
the government at Madrid that it will
be held responsible for all violence
affecting American citizens or their
property.
One may not say that all danger
of international complications has
vanished, but it can be claimed that
it has been considerably lessened as
result of the neutrality affirma-
tions. And the development is inter-
esting not merely because it arrests
a war possibility but also because
under international law each OF the
now neutral states has perfect right
to ship war materials to the Spanish
government which is officially recog-
nized everywhere; Germany and Italy
would not want to help Spanish gov
eminent which is fighting fascism,
and France most certainly would not
come to the aid of the fascist rebels
| in Spain. But the whole question
powers at the moment that even Hit
/ Ter and MussOlini realized the pOten-
tial danger of the situation; all the
makings necessary for big clash be-
tween dictatorship and democracy
were present, but, so far they are not
to be used, because European states
men in a rare flash of wisdom have
placed the general ideas of peace
above their own nationalistic desires.
On With the Battle.
Thus, left to itself the Spanish gov
eminent goes on with the bloody at
tempt to crush the revolution. 1t has
not yet succeeded, but there have
been official reports during the last
few days-reports whose dependability
it is a little difficult to gauge-that
government forces have won signifi-
cant victories over the rebels, notably
one at Navalperal, fifty miles north
of Madrid. A report about this par
ticular battle sounds slightly improb-
able in that it gives the number OF
slain rebels as 500 and the number
of loyalist dead as (fourD; that dis
crepancy appears incredible in view
of the fact that the rebel troops are
very we'll armed.
Many indications point, however, to
the possibility that in the end the
government will triumph, and that
fascism as a political factor in Spain
then will be doomed for years to
come.
Greek Dictatorship.
In Greece, however, the idea of die
tatorship is suddenly asserting itself.
A general strike was impending, and
the government at once-following
some more or less illustrious pre-
cedents!-ascribed it to "the Reds;
in several countries whatever polit-
ical party is just a bit off-color, Just
a bit different from the prevailing
party standards, is considered COM
munistic, thus red. There is no evil
Greece had deeper red hue than
strikes have had since the beginning
of the industrial era, but it served
as an excuse for Prime Minister John
Metaxas to dissolve parliament, recon-
struct his government, impose heavy
restrictions on life in general and ar
rogate to himself far-flung personal
authority, with the evident sanction
of King George. Prominent political
leaders appeared before the king ask
ing him to restore constitutional gov
eminent, and His Majesty graciously
promised to consider the matter
whereupon he set sail for his vacation
haunts on the island of Corfu.
Most recent dispatches from Athens
indicate that, following the protest, the
Metaxas dictatorship may be some
what modified.