The Washington times., 1936-09-24
PASS NEEDED
EVERY STEP
HE TAKES
y. S. Gatecrashers
Would Be Failures
Going to Front
By H. r. KNICKERBOCKER
Copyright. 1885. by International
NaWs SerYical

BY H. r. KNICKERBOCKER
Copyright. 1885. by International
News service)
TRUJILLO, (IN.S)-Last night
we spent in a hospital in Caceres.
Not wounded, but lucky to find
bed anywhere in that war town
whose $1,000 inhabitants sud
denly have had another 5000 sol
dlers and camp-followers thrust
upon them.
CacereS Is a fine old Spanish
town on hill girt with antique
walls and towers, and it would
repay anybody's tourist visit, but
we were interested in nothing
more artistic than bed. BY
bribing a clerk of a photogra-
piers shop, we learned Of the
chance in the hospital.
Along with all Of Caceres we
stayed up until midnight, when
the curfew put everybody off the
square. Then we sought the
elusive bed, only family confident
Of success after some Of our COM
panions. soldiers from Seville, had
decided to sleep in their blankets
on the ground.
Flies Work in Dark
The bed was there, but also in
Vulnerable flies which possessed
the exceptional talent, peculiar
perhaps to Spain, Of being able
to work in the dark, and all night
long. There was no water in the
hospital. some defect connected
with the war having diSlocated
the supply. What would happen
if a sudden trainload. of wounded
should arrive makes no pleasant
speculation.
Coffee in the morning was
served by a smiling, gnarled and
tough old woman who could not
understand why, although parch-
ing for coffee, we left the cups
full. It had somehow come in
contact with the inevitable rancid
olive oil, and the hardest palate
must have refused it.
We were compelled to breakfast
on dry bread-since butter has
long since disappeared from most
tableS-and dubious water luke
warm from the sticky heat OF the
night.
After a most industrious day
yesterday we finally procured with
the help of Captain OlivareS a
pass from General Frances staff
permitting me to go towards the
front as far as Trujillo but re-
curing me there to present myself
to the military commander who
was hereby authorized to exercise
his discretion as to allowing me
to go further. This was quite a
step forward, although the front
lay another 10 miles from Trujillo.
Difficulties Terrific
The difficulties of travel in the
war zone are terrific. For an out
slider there is no such thing as
blanket pass good for travel any
where. Each trip requires its
special permission from the mill
tary authorities specifying the
point of departure, the time and
the destination. And the nearer
you get to the front, the harder
it is to move.
And there is not the remotest
possibility of getting by without
a pass. Your most famous hard
boiled American gate-craSher, your
most skillful wheedler could not
get past the second line of pickets.
Even with a proper pass, progress
is bound to be slow.
This is a typical trips series of
stops, distributed along so miles
of road First, military guard
of the regular army. They are
usually efficient, literate and wave
you speedily along. Second stop,
q patrol of phalangists, often stu
dents who in the blue overalls are
courteous and intelligent. Third
stop, a group of the armed citi-
Zenry, peasants. These, as likely
as not. cannot read at all. Once
I had to wait half an hour while
a squad of six of these local vigi-
lantes sent to the nearest police
station for a civil guard who could
read my pass.
"The BabOOn"
Fourth stop, the civil guard
itself, best uniformed force of any
kind in Spain and reputed superior
as soldiers to the army itself.
They are disciplined and usually
intelligent, although we have one
pet on our regular courier route
to France whom we call "the ba-
boom"
Ninety times our courier has
Travelled past that man and 80
times "The Baboon" takes his
pass which he, "The Babboon,"
has practically worn out handing,
and reads it through laboriouSly,
then checks on the number of the
car in front, checks on the num-
ber in the back, then SuSpiciouSly
returns the pass and reluctantly
waves on the courier, who as far
as 1.-The Baboon" is concerned is
a total stranger, although every
body else along the route considers
him by now a member of the fam
lily.
"The Baboon," of course, is the
most efficient civil service guard in
Spain and some day he will prob
ably catch a very important spy.
Fifth stop, as you go towards
the front, is native Moroccan
"Regulare" and he comes out from
behind a machine-gun nest, and
vou know that if you had any no