Evening star., 1938-09-13
Bdrcelona's Morale Is High
Despite Wars Cruel Scars
Hungry Citizens Keep City Orderly
Extreme Priuatiog,s Feared During
Winter Because of Blockade.
(Story on Page A-1.)

e of Blockade.
really could fill hotel Of their own.
addressed 80 Of them. sall of whom
spoke languages did not understand
My remarks were copied, translated
and distributed.
Have Worked Both Fronts.
Nearly all them are men who have
been on both fronts, who even now
go back and forth between Valencia
and Bracelona, and by France and the
sea around into Francois territory I
talked with most Of them and learned
about what already knew. How
many soldiers, how many rebel air
planes, how many loyalist. and so on
I learned Of Moors and Italians and
Franco-Spaniards, and how intense
and determined is this fighting on both
sides
But they lead limited and strenu-
GUS life, must say. Almost that of
the armies. Almost constantly run
ming here or there for interviews or
to witness battles or to verify their
results. And the local entertainment
almost nothing-a few American
movies and some Spanish war pictures,
about which all know too much already
After filing their copy and sounding
each other out and trading informa-
ton, they gather in one or the other
Of the two principal notes.-the Ritz
or the Majestic-and replenish them
selves with what the Spaniards re-
plenish themselves with, very little
Of anything, can tell you.
In my own hotel, the Ritz, I was
amused by the fact that so much
physical grandeur could accompany
such limited fare. Walters in long
tailed coats and white shirts, but no
elevator service (for lack Of electric
ity), and for breakfast q small roll
which seemed to be made of cornmeal
rye, or oatmeal. and a cup of some
thing which might be called coffee
1t was black and had q dark brown,
bitter flavor. I comforted myself with
the fact that the waiter said it was
coffee-and acted as though 1t were,
bearing the superflne Ritz tray with
what is known here as the Ritzy air.
Catacombs Are Being Rushed.
But the most arresting thing to me
at first was literally miles of those
same catacombs being dug under these
streets and under the beautiful
squares. There are some s miles
already and more being dug. And
should another great raid come-as
terrible as the last one that lasted
three days and crushed $500 people
let us hope that all manage to get
into them.
I, for one, while there, figured for
an hour or so in my bed in the Ritz
how long, If and when the sirens be-
gan, it would take me to get to the
next corner, without bags, and down
into one of these fox holes. About 8
am. think I concluded I couldn't
make it under five minutes and 50
said to hell with it. might as we'll
die where was-comfortable And so
died. mean went to Sleep
But those great stretches of fine
apartments-all in ruins. The great
factories on the outskirts, wrecked or
closed for want Of materials. The
many attractive-looking store fronts,
that must have been alive with busi-
ness-so many Of them empty. And
yet the war to 60 on and on, as I
heard. These stern, dark, handsome
people determined to fight it-not to
give up.
Truly, these Spaniards interest me.
They are quite emotionally and prac-
tically self-sufficient, in SO far as I
could see; SO quiet, SO intense, so
reserved, their dark eyes suggesting
pride, courage, a reserve Of fire and
determination which caused me to
feel that they should win, whatever
the underlying errors, if any.
IT you arose early In the morning,
as did, and went out into the fairly
empty streets-at dawn even-there
they were, men and women, young
men and girls and children, too, walk
ing here and there in such poor
clothes-but with what dignity, what
reserve! Poor or well-to-do Gf any to-
day. all of them seem to have it.
They were going not to the stores but
to the country. miles away. They re-
turned in the evening, about $50,
perhaps with no more than 4 few
sticks of wood or a cabbage or some
heads of lettuce.
In the poorest streets, where the
little houses were. you could see them
cooking either in a doorway or on
a balcony, on account of the heat,
in pot over little fire. q portion
Of what they had secured that day
or the day before. But how solemn!
How silentl Not deigning to look,
mostly, even though you did. And
the few shabby clothes on the little
washlines hung out to dry, a cotton
dress or slip; or pair OF white cot
ton pants, or q mans gray or brown
shirt. And the old men and old
women looking so thin and indiffer-
ent. Good God! And there are mil
lions OF them!
A canteen organized by the British
colony in Barcelona, 80 heard, CO.
operating with the Spanish relief
fund In london, issues 1000 rations
OF milk each day and q biscuit to
children under II and people over so.
AT times, - the supplies have be-
coma lAAR fhA saf1k. haaSA has -