Evening star., 1938-03-18
EVENING STAR WASHINGTON FRIDAY MARCH 49, 1888
t0YAL|ST FRICTION
GROWING RAPIDLY
Political Bomb May Blast
Prieto From Power as
Communists Grow.
BY RICHARD MOWRER,
Chicago Daily News CORRESPONDENT.

OUJItIIluIllSlS 0TOW.
BY RICHARD MOWRER,
chicago Daily News Correspondent.
PERP1GNAN, March 1S-The crit
ical situation Of Loyalist Spain may
soon bring to the surfacs political dif-
ferences Of the various factions in the
country. For weeks antagonism in
politics has been simmering, threat
ening at times to explode.
The loss of Teruel in February pre-
vented or at least postponed the po-
litical outburst. But II military dis
asters continue . strong reaction in
the rear guard Is probable.
The outstanding differences are be-
tween the Communists and the right
wing Socialist group to which Defense
Minister Indalecio Prieto belongs. Be-
fore the "Frente Populare" election
victory Of February. 1885, the Com
munist party numbered only 16.OOe-a
Red menace from which Reichsfuehrer
Adolf Hitler and Premier Benito Mus
solini decided to save the world.
Communists Growth Stressed.
In the early weeks of the rebellion
the Communists doubled in number.
Now there are some 800, 900 of them
in Spain. excluding those of the inter-
national brigade. This phenomenal
growth Of the Communist party is due
primarily to the immense popularity
which Russia has enjoyed in Spain
Russia, the only great power which
came to the aid Of the republic while
the other states were enforcing nom
Intervention to the benefit Of Rebel
Generalissimo Francisco Franco, the
Germans and the Italians.
At the same time the Communist
party in Spain was the best organized
when the war broke out, and being q
Communist was-and is-synonymous
with being good soldier. The terrific
growth and corresponding power Of
the Communists is worrying the right
wing Socialists and Prieto, whereas the
left-wing Socialists lied by former
Foreign Minister Julio Alvarez del
Vayo) favor closer collaboration with
them in the face Of the common
enemy.
Defense Minister Prieto is also 4
politician, but he distrusts the Com
munists' strength and the Commune
ists' influence In the army. 6enor
Prieto has favored q non-political
army; he wants the army to be a
military machine. The Communists
and left-wing Socialists, on the other
hand, insist that a military machine
in a civil war is impossible, especially
in an army where officers are lacking.
So far Senor Prieto has been having
his way. Since last fall, when he
accepted Senor del vayo's resignation
as head Of the war commissariat, he
has been regularly withdrawing from
the Front and putting into the shadow
the political commissars Of the army,
who turned out. to be nearly all Com
munists. Political commissars are
most important as morale builders.
They give the troops political pep talks
and keep political ideals to the FORE
front.
Now the Communists are saying that
Prieto, Is much as the Italians and
Germans with Gen. Franco, is respon-
sible for the Aragon disaster OF the
past days, Prieto. they say, has with
drawn the political commissars and
has replaced them with officers that
are no good.
The question Of political commissars
is not the only sore point in the Com
munist-Socialist collaboration. Premier
Juan Negrin's government has been
trying to ease two Communist members
out Of the cabinet. The idea Is to
form q government devoid OF any ex-
trenle left elements and thereby more
pleasing to the eyes Of the British.
Cabinet Ministers Unwanted.
Only few days before the big of1en-
sive senor Prieto and DR.. Negrin were
still trying to get rid of the two Com
munist ministers-Jesus Hernandez,
for public instruction, and Vincente
Urtbe, for agriculture. They did not
succeed.
At the same time it was decreed in
Valencia and Madrid that all political
posters must disappear. 1t turns out
that most Of the posters In Loyalist
Spain are Communist.
The Communist and Socialist Labor
Unions, the U. g. T. and C. N. t.
now unified into general grouping OF
10000 workers-are also dissatisfied
with the Negrin government. They
feel that it is not representative of the
masses, that it is too bourgeois. that it
Is fake. The trade unions want to
be represented In the government.
Since the May O937) revolt In Bar
celona the anarchists have not been
in evidence. But the chances are good
that at the slightest opportunity they
will put In an appearance. Their main
crouch is that they got gypped out of
the revolution.
Copyright, 1898. BY Chieaso Daily News.
Inc.b