The Coolidge examiner., 1937-02-11
War Threatens To
Involve Four Big
Nations In Spain


lately Events at home-the elec-
ton, the convening of Congress, the
strikes, the unprecedented floods
in the Middle West and South
haI> taken all his attention.
Yet the foreign situation has
grown steadily more menacing.
In Spain, for example, a civi! war
is going on. Everyone knows that.
What everyone doesn't know is that
general European war, on a small
scale, is likewise going on in Spain.
All the major nations have paid lip
service to the cause of neutrality
in Spanish affairs-but the fact re-
mains, according to every fact-fipd-
ing newspaperman who has return
ed from the Spanish battlefronts,
that several European nations
have troops actively engaged in
Spanish battles, are supplying ole
side or the other with airplan IS,
files, cannon, ammunition and
food For instance, when the re-
be'lion began, rebel leader Franco
had almost no tanks-now he has
great numbers of the most up-to-
date type. And the loyalists had
no air force worthy of the name
now they have a considerable num-
ber of fairly modern, well-armed
ships.
,, incipal participating nations
| are Russia, Germany, Italy and
France. Germany and Italy side
with the rebels, who are Fascistcl
IN tendency and purpose Russia
md France side with the loyalists
who include Communists, Socialists,
Syndicalists and Republicans.
To what extent arc these fo.eisn
nations taking an active interest in
| Spain? Vivid answer is supplied
by Major Al Williams, fan Gus rae
ing lilot, who recently made
European tour for the purpose of
eValuing Europe's air armadas. Ac-
cording to Major Williams, zone
pilot, who had served in the rebel
army, told me it was getting toush
for a native to find something to-
do in that civil war. Russia,
Germany, Italy and France had all
but taken it over for a warming-up
session of their new war macrines."
Finally, why are these nations
in civil war that, Theoretically,
is none of their business? The
answer 10 Tat is two-fo!d.
First there is good chance
that a loyalist victory would re-
suit in the establishment of a COM
munist regime in Spain. Italy and
Germany, leading fascist powers,
are determined to do everything
possible to prevent ,hat-it w,uld
threaten their hopes for the gradual
extension of fascism through ali
Europe. By the same token, a
rebel victory would be followed
by fascist Spanish government.
as General Franco has said. And
France and Russia feel that if that
happended, they would be put in
great danger, inasmuch as they
would be surrounded by unfriend-
ly nations.
The second phase of the answer
is given by intimasion in the
quotation from Major Williams.
The chatter of diplomats to the
contrary, it is a reasonable as.
sumption that Europe would De at
war now if the antagonistic powers
were not held back by fear of each
others possible strength. 1t is no
secret that Germany would attack
France tomorrow, if she were CONT
dent she could win-and that
France would do the same thing,
given the same assurance. Civil
war in Spain is providing thees
powers with a chance to try out
their fighting equipment-and the
General Staffs are watching with
unabatbed interest.
This international civil war;
has killed thousands of Spaniard,
It has laid Spain waste. And it is,
perhaps, preparing the way to-
ward the most sanguinary general
conflict in world history. Today
ii Europe is an armed camp-and
its weapons are infinitely greater
10th in number and potential
1estructiveness than before the
World War. 1t is very possible
that if one of the powers becomes
satisfied that the tests" made in
Spain show it to be superior to a
neighboring unfriendly power, the
blow-off will come with breatn-tak-