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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 10, No. 4. April 23, 1947

Fascism is Destroying Spain

Fascism is Destroying Spain

The effect of Franco rule can be seen in the tuberculosis figures which have increased by 700 per cent. since 1936. Official and unofficial prostitution has increased by about 2,000 per cent. Crime has increased 1,800 per cent. These last figures, which do not take into account the increase in the number of beggars and black-marketeers, are in themselves sufficient indication of the degradation into which Spain has been plunged by Franco and the Falange.

"Round Cordoba," writes the Daily Telegraph man, "for 80 or 100 square miles there is nothing but hundreds of millions of olive trees. Yet olive oil, mainstay of Spanish life after bread, is unobtainable except at black market prices—usually about 27/-a pint. In a land of plenty the ordinary Spanish people are on the verge of starvation. In some areas, in Andalusia for instance, starvation point has already been reached and many are dying the slow death of malnutrition."

Finally comes this last reflection on what Franco has done to Spain—"From Madrid to Cordoba, a distance of about 300 miles, I saw only one tractor. Most of the ploughing is done by mule teams or oxen."

And the seething discontent of the people at this state of affairs, is kepi down by a brutal reign of police terror, the full meaning of which only emerges from time to time when the heroic stand of a Cristino Garcia, a Santiago Alvarez, a Sebastian Zapirain or a Maria Teresa Toral brings to the notice of the outside world the real horror of the regime which Mr. Bevin "detests."

From your green hill in Cordoba you. John Cornford, can see what you lougl it to prevent. You can see those lovable Spanish children that you so often dangled on your knee while they laughed in childish glee at the strange Spanish you spoke, you can see them pining away listlessly, while the lithe and proud Spanish lads bite on the iron as the hated Civil Guard struts by.

There was a thing in 1936 called "non-intervention" and those who struggled up that green hill knew only too well what it meant. It meant tying the arms of the Spanish Republic while fascist and nazi troops and arms, planes and tanks poured in for Franco. We heard with amazement that that policy was supported by the Labour Party, although later—too late—it was reversed.

Today you must be hearing a new word—"detestation." You detested fascism, John, and you showed it by your actions. Official detestation and diplomatic tub-thumping at Franco may sound very well and serve as a convenient soporific for uneasy "Socialist" consciences. But with goods and machinery worth millions and marked "British Made" coming in with the blessing of Sir Stafford Cripps, Franco can assess the "detestation" at its true worth.

And from Chris Mayhew, now Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and contemporary of John Cornford in the student Labour movement, we expect more than official detestation. We expect that the Government should now adopt the policy of the World Federation of Trade Unions and our own TUC by breaking off all trade and diplomatic relations with the only remaining fascist dictator.