Evening star., 1936-10-09
"Neutrality" in Spain,

Neutrality in the Spanish civil con-
f1ict has notoriously been more honored
in the breach than in the observance
by this or that European country with
direct or indirect interest in the Ease
ist-Communist conflict for supremacy.
Throughout the bloody struggle it has
been constant wonder to the outside
world where either the loyalists or the
rebels were obtaining the sinews of war.
Both sides had access to the military
stores of the old army and navy, but
these resources must long since have
been drained to the bottom. SPANS
facilities for production of replenish-
ments of artillery, ammunition, aircraft
and raw materials are utterly inadequate
for the continuous needs of such a CAM
paign as has ragged since last Summer
1t became progressively clear that war
implements were arriving more or less
incessantly from somewhere across
SPANS borders. Geographical proximity
naturally projected France and Portugal
into the picture as supply sources, while
italian Fascist and German Na1 SYM
pathies with the insurgents as obviously
suggested that Mussolini and Hitler were
conniving in supporting Gen. Frances
forces.
According to circumstancial reports,
foreign aid was also reaching the hard
pressed Socialist Communist regime at
Madrid. 1t was announced that sub
stantial cash subscriptions were being
raised for it in Russia, with the cog
nizance, if not the cooperation, of the
government. French Communists never
concealed their prejudices and vehe-
mently urged Premier Blum to aid the
loyalists. To promote at least the ap-
pearance of neutrality and conduce to
an early end of Spanish bloodshed, =
France and Great Britain in August
brought about the establishment of an
international committee at London,
charged with preventing foreign assist
ance to either belligerent. The arrange
ment was weakened from the outset by
q fatal loophole, as Portugal. Spain's
neXt-door neighbor. with its wide-open
seaboard, declined to participate in the
non-intervention program. Now comes
the Soviet Union and formally an
nounces it will abandon the neutrality
compact unless assistance to the gov
ernment's enemies ceases forthwith. If
such violations" continue, the U. s.
s. r. will consider itself freed from the
agreements obligations. Moscow can
not consent to conversion of the accord
Into screen for concealing military
aid to the rebels" Then follows bill
of particulars specifying how the Portu-
guese frontier has been used as an insur-
gent base, from which arms, planes and
poison gas reached Spain at stated inter-
walls during September from both Ger
many and Italy.
The Neutrality Committee meets in
London today to consider the Russian
warning, conceded on all hands to be
of menacing import. Moscow's claims
will doubtless be met with counter
charges of Russian and French help to
the Spanish government. Despite the
Soviet's threats, it is difficult to see
Just how it could bolster Madrid ma
terially in retaliation for the support
the rebels are alleged to be receiving
from Fascist Europe. But Moscow has
tossed fresh fuel upon the Spanish fire
and dangerously revived the possibility
of its flaming into an international
conf1agration.