Nearer & Nearer

Since President Manuel Azana of Spain was almost hourly expected to flee from Madrid, the Mexican Congress last week sent a message of sympathy addressed "to the President of Spain wherever he may be." This arrived as the President was sitting in his small office at the Palacio National in Madrid, declaring that "The Spanish Republic will maintain political and religious liberty!" The Spanish Republic was actually at its last gasp and the President's wife had fled to the seaport of Alicante, haven for refugees from Madrid. There she was taking care of child victims of Spain's civil war with the help of the two daughters of enormous Socialist Indalecio Prieto, Minister of Air and Marine. Also in Alicante, but as prisoners of the Radical Madrid Government, were Fascist Leaders Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera and his brother Miguel, wild-eyed sons of Spain's late Dictator. The Berlin Government was so concerned last week about Jose's welfare that a German officer was sent to his cell each night to get the Fascist leader's signature as proof that he had not been executed.

With increasing despair the Radical Government saw the White Army battle its way within sight of Madrid. To meet the impending crisis Premier Francisco Largo Caballero was appointed "Supreme Chief of the Military Forces of Spain" and Julio Alvarez del Vayo "General Commissioner of War," in a two-way attempt to exercise political control over the Red Militia. As the White offensive rolled nearer & nearer to the capital, Madrid became a city of gloom and darkness. Gas for cooking and heating had been cut off. Places of entertainment closed early. To stir up the inhabitants' flagging spirits notices were pinned up in the streets, "Men of Madrid ! Will you allow your women to be raped by Moors !" The women themselves were similarly exhorted by Communist Deputy Dona Dolores ("The Passion Flower") Ibarruri, who pleaded: "Women of Madrid ! Do not hinder your husbands from going to War. It is better to be the widow of a hero than the wife of a miserable coward."

These spirited messages unfortunately did little to stimulate the government's militia, largely composed of ill-trained, ill-disciplined shoemakers, cabdrivers and waiters who were only prevented from scattering in despair by their officers standing behind them with cocked firearms. At San Martin-de-Val de Inglesias, 7,000 Reds vainly attempted to repulse 1,000 Whites, made it easy for White Generalissimo Francisco Franco's armies to resume their march on Madrid.

This-week President Azana and three Cabinet Ministers, whether or not they had "fled" from Madrid, arrived unexpectedly at Barcelona and drove about this Mediterranean seaport, cheered by its radical populace.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.