The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1937-10-08
CONTINUED from page one


Negro IS an expert machine gaGnea
III the same division.
Saleria Key, former nurse at
Harlem Hospital, il IN charge Of
the hospital operating room at Villa
paz. A 23-year-old Hailemita w-.o
was wounded twice at JaIanaa and
Guadlajora is q lieutenant at the
American military base at Tarazona.
This youth who participated in the
fierce Jarama offensive where Alonzo
Watsan, first Negro volunteer. was
killed, told Miss Thompson:
I'VE Negroes fighting in Spain are
luckier than you who are left IN
America. Here we can strike back
at the forces of reaction. Here we
have been able to strike a blow at
the counterparts of those who OPP
press us at home
Miss Thompson also revealed that
the heroism Of the Negro volunteers,
coupled with an effective propaganda
campaign conducted on both sida
of the lines by the Hispanic Moorish
Anti--Fascist association, mas uulse
much to allay the traditional ei4mis
between the Spanish people ant Ii.
Moorish mercenaries fighting with
Frances fascist army
1.-THE anti-fascist association has
attempted to educate the spanisl
people on the position of the Mos
while at the same time conducting
propaganda campaign for the Moor
behind Francois lines. =
AS result, she said, many Of ths
Moors have deserted to the Loyalist
lines. Miss Thompson exhibited
number of slogans used BY the as
sociation to combat bitterness against
the Moors. One read:
1.-THE Moors who are in the from
line do not know that they are fight-
ing against the authentic governmaliS
Of Spain. The Association will ac--
Quaint them with the truth. Work
ers, help us. Respect the Moorish
people,
Another read:
ssJust as the peasant Of Spain, the
seIf-respecting Moorish worker does
not carry gun; he tills the sol.
Accompanied by Langston Hughes,
famous left-wing poet who has been
n Madrid for several weeks, Miss
Thompson visited many Of the Moor
ish prisoners in camps and hospitals
She told of an interview with thlf-
teen-year-old Moorish boy who had
been fighting in frances army
"He told us that he had been
brought over with his mother" she
said. ssIt seems that Franco brought
tha Moorish women and their Oldest
children over to cook and wash Tor
the soldiers. Once they were on the
mainland. Franco forced the children
to fight in the trenches. The boy :
mother had been killed early IN the
war"
a large percentage Of the estlmae-
cd 10000 Moorish mercenarles
brought over by the insurgents nave
been killed in battle. Miss ihomp-
son said. as Franco often used them
for shock troops. Many others de-
sorted TO the Loyalists, she SAID, a.
rasu,t Of Loyalist propaganda,
athars came over, she stated, When
thav found that Franco was paying
them with worthless German MARKS
Of the imitation period
sew of the deserters are now
a0ht;nq in the Loyalists ranks sns
aa,d hut the Loyalist utilize most q
4bar, In different work, not Wlsnliis
- trnst them with guns until ehes
have proven their loyalty. Moorish
nrisoners are treated the same a.
athars she said, and little bitterness
l. a,snlaved towards them, for the
spanigh people believe that most 9
sha Negroes fighting in their ranks
are Moors.
an August 26, Miss Thompson ana
Hughes participated with two army
ag;aa.a IN an international broadcast
j. America. While in Spain she met
r,,;s companys, president OF the
ra4a,on;an state: Jose Giral de Per
,iera. Minister of State, and oths'
y,ovalist leaders. Following 2 eour
- barcelona, Valencia, Albacete ana
tha trenches at Casa de Danpo' miss
Thompson went to Paris 10 atee'ia
tho Congress Against Racism anu
an4;sem;tism. While there she was
,ha onest Of the Spanish Embassy.
The Paris congress was a.tehaea ~
bv 327 delegates representing =
or,an;zations in 26 different couli-
tries including Ethiopia, Aigefia'
egypt, Haiti, Madagascar Moroeeo,
Martinique, sengal and the prlneipal
European states.
The congress pledged itself TO
work for the enlightment Of all peo-
pie on the reactionary character Of
racism and anti-semitism; to seek
the closest collaboration with all