The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-04-13
Local Priest Quotes Neu- tral Authorities in Ad=
 dress on Spanish War

SuDJeCC, Clnely one, was FndSeS
 of the Spanish Civil War"
 In the Spanish elections of 1886 (February) the Leftists or Popular Front party, fearing that the vote might go against them, resorted to violence. This faction, composed of radical elements of Spain, commit nists, anarchists, SyndicalistS and Republicans with Leftist sympathieS, caused the voters to be terrorized in various sections of the country, broke and burned the contents of ballot boxes, created disorders, and even in the most radical territories sent in returns the day before elec- tion. Despite these vicious precau- tions against defeat, Gil Robles, the candidate for the Right and Center parties, boiled majority of five hundred thousand votes; never theless, because of tricky elec- torar' system inaugurated by the radicals in 1882, the so-called Popu- lar Front won a majority of seats (if not votes) in the Cortes or gov erning body of Spain. The very next day, without waiting for the report of the Electoral Commission, the Leftist-radical masses unleashed a reign of terror and assassination that eliminated in the uprising un- der General Franco reign of ter TOT that has been exceeded only by the brutality of the LoyaliSt govern ment in the areas that have been or are at present controlled by them. Without any effort on the part of this newly elected Popular Front to interfere with these acts of violence, here is the record of destruction from the date of the election, February 16, 1886, up to the middle of June, when the move ment arose to free Spain from the hands of these terrorists:
 Communistic Fury
 Churches completely destroyed 160 Attacks on churches and shrines
 with destruction and assaults 251 People killed ................. 2o9 People wounded ..... 1287 Frustrated personal attacks .... 215 Robberies under arms ........ 138 Attempted armed robberies 23 Private and political centers
 0eCrOyeQ ............. o0 Private and political centers at
 tacked 312 General strikes 113 Partial strikes 228 Newspaper offices destroyed =. 10 Attacks on newspapers and at
 tempted destruction ........ 33 Bombs and petards fired ...... 146 Bombs collected unflred ........ 78
 When Calvo Soleto, termed bne Of the finest men produced by modern Spain, arose in the CorteS to ques- tion the government concerning these disorders, one of the commit mist deputies, Dolores Ibaruri, who enjoys the somewhat doubtful ap- pellation La Passionaira," the pas sion flower, shouted out: That IS the last speech you will ever make!" One week later his body was found at dawn in the East Cemetery of Madrid, covered with knife and bull let wounds which he received at the hands of the aSsault-guardS, so 1n- structed by their officers. And that was the spark that kindled the re- volt of the decent people of Spain to overthrow government which was no government at all, but the cats paw of Moscow and communism.
 The communist, Largo Caballero, had declared two years before: "* A union of Iberian Soviet Republics-that is our aim. Lenin declared Spain would be the second Soviet Republic in Europe. Lenin's prophecy will come true" AS you can see, it very nearly came true.
 Truths Self-Evident
 Here in America, the founders of our country made, in 1776. a decla- ration to this effect: We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that, whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new government. '" Such a belief it was that motivated the handful of high minded, courageous and patriotic Spaniards to inaugurate revolution under the leadership of General FranSisco Franco.
 The religious situation within the territories of the Loyalist govern ment, even at the beginning of the revolution, was nothing more or less than might be expected under A communist regime. Edward Knob laugh, for four years 8 correspond ent of the Associated Press in Spain, A man of unimpeachable impartial itv. who covered the war from with in the government strongholds or Madrid. Barcelona and Valencia, up until the time he left Spain, fear ing for his life, because he told the 1~ue story, writes of a visit to Bar celona in the early days of the re- volt: q made a tour of the Bar celona churches and Rightist cen ters which the Left extremists had pillaged and burned since my pre-. vious visit. A large number of churches and convents had been destroyed during the demonstra- tions following the Leftist election victory in February. The work Of destruction had been completed dur ing the week preceding my arrival. only the blackened walls remained of the historic religious buildings, The statues and paintings had been destroyed or removed. the altars ripped out. the stained glass win dows broken. The burial vaults in the floors of some of the churches had been forced open and the cen tury old mummif1ed bodies of nuns and priests have been removed from