Evening star., 1937-07-25

to leave Barcelona TO discover that tn
casional sirens warning the populace
OF an impending attack from the air
or the sea and darkened streets at
night, it is little hard to believe
that near by two armies are locked
in a struggle that will decide the fate
of Catalonia. What you do see in
Barcelona is city in state Of social
upturn, q city where the greatest left
wing experiment since the establish
ment Of the Soviet Union is being
tried out, but only occasionally do
you sense the feeling that bitter
war is being fought. and that unless
that war is won the great social eX-
pertinent is doomed.
After the Fascist rebellion of July
10, 1886. had been crushed in Cata-
lonia, the Catalan armies swept over
half Of the adjoining state Of Aragon,
and now occupy a line that runs from
the Pyrenees to Teruel. approximately
$50 miles But the Catalan armies
were made up Of extremely rugged in
dividualists or highly autonomous So
cial groups, and each band tended to
carry on its own private war against
the enemy. rather than enter on any
unified plan Of campaign 1t is said
that in the early days of the war if
an officer suggested that it might be
a good idea to attack a nearby Fascist
detachment the boys very likely would
first 90 into huddle and decide
whether such move was advisable
for such a nne, free, independent spirit
in warfare. but 1t hardly makes for
military efficiency in struggle against
highly organized foe. OF late, how
ever, things have been changed The
Valencia government has sent a pro-
flcient soldier, General PozaS-slnce
his name is pronounced in way that
vaguely suggests "Porthos." I cannot
help wondering if Athos. Aramls and
d'Artagnan also are fighting on the
side OF the government-to take charge
of the front and. under his command.
order and discipline. as well as NUM-
tions and men. are being brought to
the once individlaIistIc army Of Ara
gon.
WHEN you reach the town OF Lerida,
whose ancient walls stand out
against the sky in just the manner
OF painting of a Spanish city, you
begin for the first time to see real
signs of country at war. Although
important army headquarters for the
part Of the Arsgon front that faces
Huesca. an enemy city that the gov
ernment has virtually surrounded. It
is filled with soldiers and with the
picturesque activities attendant upon
the business Of warfare. Among other
fighters in Lerida are a number of
government aviatOrS. and it is here
that, for the first time. We came upon
some members Of that already legen-
Diary force. the International Brigade
two embattled looking Frenchmen
Although war is the matter OF first
concern in Lerida, We discovered upon
our arrival there that the natter OF
industrial organization is not forgot
ten. when the Sentries that stopped
our car as it entered the town showed
annoyance when our chauffeur failed
to produce card showing his mem
bership in one of the labor svndicates.
When he showed them that he be-
longed, instead, TO a French union,
they were satisfied. The chauffeur. in
cldentally. is a chunky little fellow,
who looks Spanish. but has passed
much of his life IN France and is
magnificent driver He told us with
much interest that he had once driven
to the front an American newspaper
man named Walter Duranty.
Our first night at the front was
passed in the village of Barbastro.
which is about 80 miles from the
Huesca battle line. A picturesque and
curlously attractive little place sit
uated on a hillside, it is divisional
headquarters for the district and it
was hummlng with military activity.
The soldiers looked in excellent con-
dltlon, and since there certainly was
no great fanfare over our arrival
there. l do not believe that the great
number Of singing soldiers that passed
through the streets in the early morn
ing were sort of window dressing
employed to impress the visiting news
paper men. In BarbaStro our needs
which were food and beds-were
attended to by the most charming of
all the engaging people We encoun-
tered in Aragon, Lieut.. Salvador
F'abrega Llaurado, who, incidentally.
was one OF the few Galatians we saw.
He managed to find us an excellent
meal Of beef stew, beans and pota-
toes and some particularly delicious
bread, and then succeeded in getting
US beds in a frugal but surprisingly
clean little hotel. The lieutenant was
an interpreter before the war and he
speaks English Of a sort, but his kind
ness and his easy courtesy made the
matter OF languages seem OF even less
than the usual Importance.
NPEAK1NG Of food on our expedi-
ton. the blue ribbon must be
awarded to miraculous Stewed rab-
bit that We had in the village OF Sari-
nena, about 10 miles fror, thu sroot