Montana labor news., 1936-03-05
Spanish Workers,
Middle Class
Smash FascisrI
Federated Press

FeQerdteQ fIeSS
Timid souls who sigh that Fascism
is inevitable, so why do anything about
it, can learn much from events in
Spain, where the anti-Fascist Peoples
Bloc has triumphed owe prospects OF
blacklist reaction.
In October, 1884, when the gallant
uprising OF Spanish workers against
intolerable oppression was put down in
blood, it seemed to many that in Spain,
OF all places, complete Fascism would
rapidly sweep into power.
Instead, less than a year and a half
later finds Spanish trade %unionists,
liberals and radicals not only stronger
than they were before the October
instruction, but with an actual mai
ority in the newly-elected Cortes or
parliment. Out Of 473 seats, the united
front Of left Republicans, Socialists,
and Communists will hold nearly $50
according to present indications. Gil
Robes Fascist Geda or Popular Action
group, viii Il boosted it would come to
power by fair means or foul, has less
tina Moo.
The first Peoples Front government
in the world seems about to enter the
stage. And in a country where, to
many, Fascism was inevitable" 10 mon
tbs ago.
In all likelihood, Manuel Azana,
portly essayist who was innocent Of
political experience until the 1881 Re
publican revolution catapulted him in
to the premiership, will again head the
cabinet. He is the outstanding left Re
publican leader, and has learned much
since he was eased out of office by
the reviving forces of reaction in 1888
and jailed along with strikers and re-
volutionists in 1884
Azana's popularity has grown i'm
mensely in the past year; to middle
class intellectuals and liberals he typi-
fies Spain trying to cast off the fet-
tiers Of the middle ages and become a
modern country; to workers and land
less farmers, he is an inadequate SYM
Dol of the cooperative commonwealth
to which they aspire, but he is respect
ed because the Fascists hate him so,
With working class leaders imprison-
ed or forbidden to hold meetings for
many months after October, 1884, Aza-
ma became the farthest left political
figure to which they could publicly
rally and register protest against the
regime.
What explains the comeback Of the
Spanish Left so soon after the dark
days at the end OF 1884? Why did
not Gil Robes, SPANS would-be Hit
Ter, then or later consolidate his pow
err?
First and foremost, the indomitablt
spirit Of the Spanish worker and farm
er, who boast, not idly, that they are
not afraid to die. With the emberi
!, Of the unsuccessful revolt still smold.
ering, thousands announced from jail!
and torture chambers that they woulC
not for long remain beaten. Strike.
and demonstrations which the govern
ment, with several Fascists in the cab
met, was unable entirely to suppress
prevented wholesale execution of thu
rebels by firing squads, The first t.
be tried received long prison terms; Blu
by the time the turn of Largo Cabal
lero, Socialist and trade union chief
had come, popular feeling forced til.
court to free him unconditionally
Along with that, the united front
broadening for electoral purposes, int
!. the peoples anti-Fascist bloc. Belat
! eddy Socialists and Communists throu
I ghout Spain joined in the Workers ALE
I ance just before the Instruction; re
I gionally, various other groups federal
1 ed as we'll. Syndicalists, suspicious O
I political groups, supported the 1884 up
( rising only half-heartedly at best, ex
I cept in Asturias. Today unity ha
I gone much farther. The Syndicalist
\ organizations, fearing Fascism, permit
I ted their members to vote. Workin
I class parties and the liberal republ
I cans found a minimum program o
+ which they could pool their elector;
strength and wage a fighting campaign