Published: 15 May, 1937;
Source: University of Warwick's Digital Collections;
Transcribed: by Zdravko Saveski.
The Capitalist Press has reported the events in Barcelona of May 3rd, 1937, under the false captions "Anarchist Uprising," "Anarchist Seizure Telephone Building," etc. Langdon Davies blamed the P.O.U.M. and declared that it worked through its controlled organisations, "Friends of Durruti," and the Libertania Youth. The New Leader denies this by saying that these organisations are Anarchistic, thereby implying that the Anarchists are to blame. But this is cowardly. The Anarchists are not to blame, and the P.O.U.M. fought by the side of the Anarchists. The New Leader for May 14 has no report through. But we present our readers with the reports received direct from Barcelona from our comrades Jane H. Patrick, and Ethel MacDonald.
Here is the true story of May 3, 1937, in Barcelona, and the murderous Communist Party counter-revolutionary conspiracy against the Anarchists :-
Barcelona, 5th May, 1937.
You will have heard by this time that there is trouble in Barcelona. The trouble broke out on Monday afternoon, the 3rd, at about three o'clock in the afternoon, the quietest time of the day here, as the shops are all closed, and every one is either at home or eating in a restaurant, or drinking his afternoon coffee, the Civil Guards seized the telephone building by force. As the move was quite unexpected, they succeeded in disarming the militiamen in charge there, and so gaining control.
We knew about it on Monday afternoon, but although there was a feeling of electricity in the air, and some fighting on the Plaza Cataluna, nothing further happened during the afternoon. At night time, when we went to return home, there were patrols out everywhere. At one corner we would meet the civil guards, and the next the C.N.T. guards. All men were stopped and searched for arms. We were stopped because we had a man with us, but they made no attempt to search us at all, not even the police.
We were told to go by the back way when we left the Casa, although we were warned about going out at all, as there was fighting on the Plaza Cataluna. In going through the back way, we had to pass through a square where the Generalitat Buildings are all around. There were some men in front of us, and they were arrested and rushed into the building. We were not close enough to see all that took place, and although we would have liked to get closer, we were prevented by the guards. When we got out of the Square, and were almost emerging on the Ramblas, we were stopped again, but this time it was by several of our own people (C.N.T.-F.A.I.) and we knew some of them.
Charlie Doran was with us, and since his hotel is at the foot of the Ramblas, we walked down with him, as we thought that he was safer that way. The Spanish people do not interfere with women, and they would not suspect or molest a man so readily in the company of women, as if he were alone. When we got back to our hotel, we found that it was locked up. I suppose that was to prevent trouble inside, or rather to save the building from being rushed inside. We had to bet a C.N.T. guard to help us get in.
All during the night there was firing in the street, and we had a good view from the hotel windows. They did not want us to leave the hotel in the morning, but we did not intend to remain there when we did not know what was going on, so we left and made our way to the Casa. We could not take the usual way, as there was firing from both ends of the street. In fact, they were firing both up and down all the streets of the Ramblas, so that we had to make a detour. As we drew near the Casa C.N.T., we had to wait for a pause in the firing to get across, and into the building.
As the day wore on, the firing became terrific: the police were firing from their building further up the street, and from nearby homes, and the C.N.T. were replying from the Casa, from the balconies and from the roof. The C.N.T. have plenty of guns, and machine guns and bombs; and the other side seem to have the same. The noise is terrible. Already there have been many killed and wounded.
There have been deliberate shootings-up on the part of the civil guard of members of the C.N.T. A motor left here yesterday afternoon, and it was stopped just up the road, and the occupants forced to alight. They were shot deliberately in cold blood. Some say that the callous, cowardly shooting was done by the U.G.T. I am not sure of that. But if the culprits were not members of the U.G.T., they belonged to the civil guard (police). They also shot up two motors full of C.N.T. people and refused to let the ambulance attend to them. At least, that is what we have been told here. You know how unsafe it is to accept every story at a time of any great excitement. But it is safe to realise that the Communist Party is a menace to the workers in their struggle. It is a party upholding reaction and desiring, loving and seeking power and place, which means also pelf.
Since about eight o'clock on Monday evening, there has been no traffic at all. The whole town is quiet, as it is not safe to be on the streets. Many people who ventured out have been killed accidentally. But in the morning the women go out to try to get food, and some of the shops open up in answer to a knock. From the window, we can see an odd person passing, holding up a white flag, and an occasional braver, or, perhaps, one would say, more foolhardy one, walking along coolly. These persons are not fired on by either side.
We had to sleep here last night, as there were no lights in the town whatever, and we would not be allowed out. We did not go anyhow, as we would have been prevented returning likely had we gone; and here, we are in the middle of it.
The firing never ceases for longer than two or three minutes at a time. Yesterday, it was almost funny at one period. The radio announcer had been sending messages all day in Spanish, and during a pause some one must have put on a record. The noise of the firing was terrible but between the few minutes' pauses there came the strains of some one singing, with an American twang : " E-ni, me-ni, man-i, moo." It seemed rather incongruous.
There has been a proposal from the Generalitat to form a new Government, and ensure a stopping of hostilities. But the C.N.T. want the police (civil guard) disbanded, and brought under the control of the syndicates in future. There is a settlement coming, I think. They intend to make a compromise. There is a conference at the Generalitat, and everything is being blamed on the Minister of the Interior and the Chief of Police, both Esquerra, but Communist Party supporters or sympathisers, because the Generalitat does not want to admit the Communist Party influence behind the trouble. The C.N.T. will agree to a compromise. The C.N.T. want the trouble stopped because there are so many issues at stake. On one thing they are definite. The Minister of Interior, and Rodriguez Salas, the Chief of Police, must be dismissed. Until these dismissals take place, the C.N.T. will not talk of anything else. The new Government is to put an end to hostilities and bring about peace. Even as they are sitting discussing, the firing is going on, and we have seen from some of the windows civil guards attempting to take up further positions to be in a better position to attack the Casa.
I do not think there is any solution except the elimination of the Communist Party and the small bourgeoisie. The petty bourgeoisie will be finished if their economic power is taken from them, but the Communist Party must be cleared out of everything, especially of the U.G.T. and the Generalitat. And the C.N.T. must keep control of everything. They ought to have done this from the first.
For my part, I would like to see the C.N.T. go ahead and insist on this attitude. The C.N.T. did not start the present trouble, but it seems to me that, if the C.N.T. compromised now, and loses its opportunity of bringing this matter to a head, their chance to do so will never occur again. I know that the C.N.T. has many things to consider. That the entire world is against the C.N.T., that world which is becoming so sympathetic to Anti-Fascism at the moment, for its own ends. But if the Anarchists and Syndicalists do not take control now, the workers of Spain will have gained nothing from all the fighting and loss of life. Perhaps this crisis has been precipitated deliberately. There may be an outside purpose and inspiration. It may not be all just inside the workers' movement. But no matter who are behind this crisis, or where the inspiration comes from, if the C.N.T.-F.A.I. can turn the struggle into a victory for their work and the workers, they will be justified in doing so. Victory is their only chance.
The Generalitat issue the Ration Cards. Many women came here this morning who had been at the Generalitat this morning to have their cards renewed. Because they were F.A.I. members, the Generalitat refused to renew them. The Government officials said, with a sneer: "Vive la F.A.I.," and when the women replied: "Yes, Vive la F.A.I.!" the officials threw the cards back at them, and said: "Then get your ration cards from the F.A.I."
It is a terrible business. If I thought that the C.N.T.-F.A.I. intended to see the struggle through to the bitter end, I would not worry. It is not the result but the compromise that hurts. For the compromise brings no peace. And that is terrible. The struggle will break out again and again, and each time the C.N.T.-F.A.I. will have less and less chance. And the C.N.T.-F.A.I. will lose everything, because they are so much finer than the Communist Party, and by their sacrifices and struggle have made the defeat of Fascism possible.
Letters are neither coming in nor going out.
Possibly, the Valencia Government will step in, and if the C.N.T.-F.A.I. do not agree to its decrees, an attempt will be made to force the Anarchists into submission. I wish I could see the end. The C.N.T.-F.A.I. must stand firm or they are lost. They want the Inner Committee of the Generalitat dissolved, and control in the hands of the syndicates. This demand must be secured.
The ambulances are running about all the time. They ring a bell and collect all wounded, of which, it is reported, there is an appalling amount.
May 6, 1937.
This is Thursday morning, and everything is quiet. Instructions are that everything is to return to normal. Ethel (MacDonald) and I went out this morning, and had a look round. The barricades are still up in the streets, and the civil guards are still strutting about in their uniforms. It is terrible to think that all this bloodshed and strife has been provoked by the Generalitat, that is, the Government, with the U.G.T. and the Communist Party behind it, in an attempt to crush the C.N.T.-F.A.I.
A new Government (Generalitat) has been formed, of one member from each organisation (which puts the C.N.T. very much in the minority), and the civil guards are to be disbanded, control to come under the Valencia Government. I have no faith in the civil guards being disbanded, and Valencia control will not help. It is peace for the moment, although the firing continued all day yesterday and with greater bitterness and vindictiveness on the part of the U.G.T. and civil guards than when it started. This vindictiveness, and its price in suffering, cannot be wiped out in a moment. It is peace, we are told, but few really believe it. There is a volcano underneath that may erupt again at any moment.
We have slept two nights in the Casa on mattresses on the floor. And twice each day we have crept out at a little back door and walked along by the side of the walls to reach a little restaurant to get something to eat; but we got something. We could have got something to eat in the Casa, but they did not have a great deal, and there were all the militiamen to be fed, and we rather enjoyed the excitement of going out, anyway. Most of the shooting was at the front of the building.
From the windows we saw a motor car being shot by the U.G.T., who were in possession of a hotel up the street. The three occupants managed to get out, and to take cover in a doorway, but they were stuck there, as the U.G.T. kept potting at them. One man kept firing to draw the others off, but we had to send out an armoured car to rescue them. The U.G.T. did not know who they were, but just kept potting at their car, so that they could not proceed. We saw the car this morning, and it is surprising that the men escaped, considering the number of shots that seem to have been fired, and the tyres were quite flat. The men were not members of the C.N.T.
There have been many killed, and a terrible number wounded. Also several C.N.T. and U.G.T. officials have been assassinated. How is it possible to have peace under these circumstances? However, that is the decision.
To make barricades, the stones of the streets are just pulled up. In some places the trams will not be able to run until they have been repaired. There is no traffic yet, although there are plenty of people in the streets.
Even as I was finishing this letter, we heard some firing. Perhaps the struggle has not finished after all. Who knows?
Barcelona, 9th May, 1937.
I sent you a letter dealing with the trouble here two or three days ago. At that time things were not at all settled. Now things are quite quiet and seemingly back to normal again, though I am afraid it is more seeming than real.
The cuttings you sent all blamed the anarchists for the trouble, but they were not in any way whatever to blame. They have all the time adopted an attitude of conciliation and have compromised themselves almost out of existence in their eagerness to preserve anti-fascist unity. They ought, when this thing was thrust upon them, to have made a definite stand and put an end to it once for all and taken control. This will happen again, and each time their compromising will further and further weaken them, and then enemies will take advantage of their decency, because they are quite unscrupulous.
The anarchists demanded the disarming of the Police Guards and Assault Guards. But these guards still carry their arms, and they won't be disarmed no matter what promises may have been given by the Government. While the conferences and discussions were going on the anarchists ceased fighting, and not a shot was fired from the C.N.T., F.A.I. Casa. We were in it all the time and can vouch for that, but the other side still continued to fire, and shot up any stray motor cars, and held up people on the streets. Now the attitude adopted by the Government (the Generalitat) is as though the anarchists had been in the wrong and they had to come in and keep peace, when it was they, the Government of the country, that made war on the people, who had to defend themselves against those who are supposed to defend them. Barcelona is full of Assault Guards, and they strut about the streets in groups of three and four, never singly, their barricades are still up in many places and still manned, although ours have been taken down. The C.N.T.-F.A.I, have been far too weak and the others have been aggressive all the time. Of course the intention was, on the part of the Generalitat, supported by the U.G.T. and the P.S U.C. to try and take their aims from the C.N.T.-F.A.I. They may even have wanted to cause the militia to return from the fronts to defend the anarchists so that there might be caused a crisis that would permit of interference from the outside. In view of these possibilities it was necessary to put an end to the uprising and not play into their hands of the Government and the "Communists." But the anarchists should not have conceded all along the line. They should have taken a firm stand and refused to discuss peace until those who caused the trouble were disarmed and disbanded. They could have done that, because the support of the C.N.T.-F.A.I. in Barcelona is very definite yet. The workers are all with them.
Did Ethel tell you about the murder of Camillio Berneri? Because it was murder and nothing short of it. He was not killed in the fighting. The Assault Guards went to the house where he was staying and took away the revolvers of Berneri and another Italian comrade, also three guns left by militiamen. Later they returned, six Assault Guards and six members of the P.S.U.C. (Communist Party). There were two women in the house, the one was the wife of the other Italian comrade, so we have had the facts from the [...]. Berneri never reached any police station wherever they were pretending to take him. He was got in the hospital dead, shot, and also they say he had been slashed open with a knife. The other Italian comrade has not been traced yet.
Berneri is the most prominent Italian anarchist. He edited a paper in Barcelona, "Guerrad la Classe," I think the name is. He, of course, was opposed to the communist party and has attacked them in his paper. Also, he wrote for many other anarchist papers all over the world, and in Spain, as he spoke Spanish and French as well as his own language. He was an Italian professor. When they arrested him they said he was a counter-revolutionary. That is the usual thing that the communist party everywhere says about those who are opposed to them. The Italian movement all over the world will be up in arms about this. There are many Italian divisions at the front that he used to visit and address. He fought in the trenches in the first days.
Barcelona, 8th May, 1937.
I have just received four letters, some of which contained cuttings from the Glasgow papers on the Barcelona trouble. For the moment we must deal with this and leave all personal matters for a later date.
Jenny has already written to you giving you some information but I shall tell you about it as I see it. Also you must understand that we were right here in the C.N.T.-F.A.I. headquarters during all the trouble, although during the lulls in the early morning we went out to see what was taking place in other parts.
To begin. The first information we received was that during a quiet time for business in the afternoon (about 3 p.m.) the Guardo Alsalto entered the Telephone Exchange and attempted to take possession. Of course, previous to this there had been a certain amount of tension underneath regarding the censorship of the C.N.T.-F.A.I. papers that had been taking place in other parts of Spain (Madrid, Valencia, etc.). Then Roldan Cortada, member of the U.G.T., was assassinated. It is beyond any question that this act was that of an agent provocateur with the scheme in mind of destroying any possibilities of unity between the C.N.T. and the U.G.T. As the C.N.T. has been and still is, advocating unity between the two workers' syndicates, obviously this deed was perpertrated by some person or persons opposed to unity.
Following upon that, Martin, an Anarchist in Puicerda, who had been working steadily to instal Libertarian Communism and refusing to work in any other direction, was assassinated also. Can it be doubted that this further act was another chain in a well-planned plot to bring about disruption between the workers. We know the desire to bring the revolution to an end and to impose the democratic republic. We also know the tactics of those countries and those persons who favour this. But despite this deliberate provocation the C.N.T.-F.A.I. still urged unity between the workers, still insisted that victory over Fascism, and a successful revolution, could only be brought about by the unity of the two workers' syndicates. The provocation was ignored.
But the telephone seizure was too great to be ignored. Here was the deliberate attempt to take away the telephone exchange from the control of the C.N.T.-U.G.T. Which means away from the C.N.T. because there can be no doubt that the U.G.T. became involved in this also. In fact, personally I say the leadership of the U.G.T. share the responsibility for the beginning of this terrible bloodshed that has taken place. Twelve of the comrades of the C.N.T. in the telephone exchange refused to allow this seizure to take place and resisted. They were in the top part of the building, which faces directly on to the Plaza Cataluna and the Guardia Alsalto took up their position in the bottom stories. When our comrades informed us of the happenings, we saw in it an attempt to take away the control from the hands of the C.N.T. Spontaneously the comrades erected barricades in the streets. The others had obviously done likewise previously, if one can judge from the appearance of the respective barricades. Shooting took place in the Plaza Cataluna on Monday afternoon.
The indignation of the comrades was great, but we were all warned to keep our heads. Jenny and I, with Charlie Doran, who had come to see us in the Casa, left the Casa for the hotel that night. We had to pass through the Plaza de la Republica, where the Generalidad has its central building, and at the entrance we were challenged by the Guardia Asalto. Charlie was searched. We, being merely women, were not searched. We reached home safely although held up several times by our own comrades. During that night shooting took place.
In the morning about 7.30, after realising that trouble was taking place, we made for the Casa C.N.T.-F.A.I.
From our window in the Hotel Oriente, which faces directly the street leading to the Plaza de la Republica, we could see that shots were pouring down the street from the Guardia Alsalto and the Civil Guards, and were being replied to by our comrades who were stationed behind trees and lamposts. Again we were warned not to go into the streets, but needless to say we ignored the warning and left. We told our comrades that we wanted to get to the Via Durruti. To get there meant that no matter how we went we must pass through the scenes of the shooting. How we went I don't know, because most of the time we were lost and taking cover. But we reached the Casa after a few adventures, being stopped, having to "reach for the sky," etc.
Inside the Casa, naturally there was an atmosphere of tension, but the shooting coming from here was very slight. But the shooting from the barricades at the Generalidad was constant. This changed and we started. But never once did we begin firing. We merely answered. If I give you a few instances you will obtain a better impression.
1. Three comrades (from which organisation it was not known) were driving down the street in a car when the Guardia fired upon them. The car was stopped and they managed to run and take shelter in a doorway. But there was a constant fire directed upon them. When we saw this from the Casa we started shooting in order to protect them. It was an impossible situation. Eventually one of the tanks were sent out to rescue them, and in doing so, one of the comrades inside the tank was injured by a bomb that was thrown at the tank.
2. Twelve comrades were dragged from their cars and shot to pieces. When the Red Cross attempted to help them, they were warned that if they did so they would be fired upon to.
Of course others on the other side were shot. You have heard that Sese was shot. But I am told that he walked across the Plasa Cataluna with a Guardia Alsalto on each side at him. That was courting danger, if true.
Now the trouble is that events inside the Generalidad took place so rapidly that even now all is not clear. The changes that took place the Governments that were formed, etc. But all the time, the attitude of the C.N.T. was to bring this struggle to an end. Whether they were right or wrong from our point of view is another question. But never were they desirous of continuing the bloodshed.
Being, afterwards, more or less confined here most of the time, our viewpoint is limited.
Throughout all these day the comrades of the P.O.U.M. fought side by side with the Anarchists. The P.C. fought with the G.A. and the Guardia Civil. Does this prove the role of the C.P. at long last?
But of the Anarchists what is to be said? There are two points of view.
One is that this provocation was deliberate with the intention of splitting the anti-fascist front and separating the Anarchists from all other sections. And that our enemies wanted the struggle to go on so that the Central Government could step in and crush the Anarchists completely. One side say that this being so, we are wise to capitulate that we have lost men, we have lost the telephone exchange, but our position is stronger normally. No doubt there has been manoeuvres from outside Spain in this matter. Has this been the manoeuvres of England and France?
The other point of view is that the leadership of the C.N.T.-F.A.I. has betrayed the struggle. It is held that we should have taken up the challenge, wiped out these counter-revolutionary elements and taken over complete control.
I think it was desired that the struggle should continue; that this was a definite manoeuvre to bring the workers back from the fronts and finish the war and restore the Democratic Republic. It is beyond dispute because when we stopped firing--for quite a time--our enemies started again and continued firing. On Thursday afternoon and all Friday morning not a fire came from us, but they fired all the time. The point is: Were we wise in refusing to accept their challenge! Was not this the time to take over complete control? Would we necessarily have lost? We control the ammunition factories, the transport, practically all the means of sustenance. Would we have lost?
The discussion goes on. There is dissatisfaction. And now we have the Assault Guards from Madrid controlling public order. I am told that here in Barcelona none of our Anarchist comrades entered this police force after July 19th. In Madrid they did. Can we enter such forces and remain unchanged? Will there be another move to take over something else? Is the revolution finished? Certainly the counter-revolution is in march and has been so for some time. We have lost the telephone. Can we regain what we have lost? If we had continued and the Central Government had come against us, what would have been the outcome? A bourgeois republic? A Communist Dictatorship?
The picture is slightly too near to see it clearly. The P.O.U.M. attitude is definite. That the leadership of the C.N.T.-F.A.I. sold out. Can we take the P.O.U.M. seriously. What are their connections in other countries--the I.L.P., etc.
In the port in the last days were three Government battleships and one French and British one. This is significant. All of us wanted naturally to fight back. That is natural, very natural. But have we been wise. And what comes next?
Jane H. Patrick returned to Glasgow after seven months' absence on May 24. She spoke in the Central Halls, Bath Street, on that date and exposed the disarming and massacre of the Anarchists at Tarragona and Torosa. This will be dealt with fully in another bulletin.
Support our meetings. Support the meetings of the Anarchists and Anti-Parliamentarians. All meetings held in support of the C.N.T.-F.A.I., the Libertarian Youth, and the P.O.U.M. Support the A.P.C.F. and the U.S.M. Meetings. Comrades, rally against the forces of Fascism, Reaction and Counter-Revolution.
It is not without some humility that we venture to enter the arena of Spanish Working class politics, because the solidarity shown by the British and French workers has been deplorably short of the direct aid that could have been given. We have allowed our governments to impose every conceivable restriction on our Spanish comrades. The bogus and criminal non-intervention agreement has held up the defensive weapons that could have prevented such atrocities as Badajoz, Malaga, Durango and Guernica. Yet Fascist planes fly almost nightly direct from Germany and Italy to the aid of Franco! Germany lands over a thousand troops at San Sebastian yet Britain and France hold up and imprison isolated volunteers! Food too, and the evacuation of children from Bilbao, was only allowed by the reactionary British government, after world wide protests. And British labour will not entertain the General Protest Strike!
[In this second edition of the Barcelona Bulletin we would draw particular attention to the complacent attitude of Eden & Co., towards the outrageous bombardment of the civilians of Almeria by the Nazi Fleet. This Fascist provocation, like the butchery and destruction at Guernica is glossed over and they have the infernal audacity to collaborate with Hitler in threatening the Spanish Republic with "reprisals" if they defend themselves when their airplanes are fired upon by the Nazis!]
We must also realise that the internal conflicts in Spain -- as in Russia -- are aggravated by this desertion of the Spanish Revolution by the workers of Europe. If they did their revolutionary duty, the Russian and Spanish revolutions could quicken their tempo without fear of invasion.
For example, British battleships at Barcelona, and the Mediterranean swarming with Fascist men-of-war has stampeded many U.G.T. workers into the "democratic" camp.
The problems of the Spanish workers must be solved by the Spanish workers themselves.
Never-the-less, we must take sides and rally to the support of the C.N.T.-F.A.I. and the P.O.U.M. To Franco, Hitler, Mussolini, Churchill, but also to Russia, we must say "No interference in Spain."
No dictatorship or Cheka in Spain. Thanks to the inspiration of the Anarchists, there should be in Spain, unlike Russia, no dictatorship over the workers.
We do not support "adventurism" or the minority "putch," but where the workers are in a clear majority, as in Barcelona, there is no argument for sabotaging the revolution yet the Stalinists have betrayed the slogan of "All Power to the Workers!" "All Power to the Soviet!" is also a forgotten cry and instead, they shout: "Support the democratic republic!"
The Stalinists use the arguments of Kerensky, and abuse the P.O.U.M. and the Anarchists just as that capitalist lackey abused Lenin and Trotsky! Do they forget that their god Lenin said, even before the October revolution: "Take the whole power without the bourgeoisie; for you have a majority on the Soviets." Later he stressed the importance of winning the workers "over to the side of Soviet power against parliamentarism, to the side of proletarian dictatorship against bourgeois democracy." In the fight against Korniloff, he emphasised that they were fighting, not for but only with Kerensky, who was to be overthrown immediately the workers were ready!
For preaching these very same ideas to-day, the P.O.U.M. is described as an agent of Fascism -- just as Lenin and Trotsky were described by Kerensky as the agents of the Kaiser!
Trotsky aimed to capture the key points in Petrograd, and to defend them with the workers' red guard. To-day, the Stalinists of Spain conspire to compel the evacuation of the key points -- Barcelona telephone exchange, etc. -- and their control to pass to the Spanish Kerenskys!
They shout: "Disarm the rear"--the workers- and "All power to Valencia"--the bulwark of Spanish Capitalism!
All support to the Anarchists and the P.O.U.M. who say, with Durutti: "Militias, yes! Soldiers, No!" Don't disarm the revolutionary workers! Disarm the bourgeois elements where they are against the revolution! Safeguard the revolution!
Hail Syndicalist (Soviet) Catalonia! All power to the revolutionary workers of Spain!
Andre Nin is right: ask the assemblies of the workers of Catalonia for a mandate for the revolution. If a united front of all the workers will give the C.N.T.-F.A.I. -- P.O.U.M. this mandate, the U.G.T. can scarcely hold out for Capitalism. If they do, they must be dominated by outside -- Stalinist -- influences. Let them ponder the fate of the Italian and German workers. Let them think of the Anarchists and Trotskyists in Russian jails. Let them, with us, say: "Hands off Spain! Hands off revolutionary Catalonia!
Wm. C. McDougall.
Published jointly by Guy A. Aldred (U.S.M.), 71 Stirling Rd, Glasgow, C.4., and Wm. C. McDougall, 31 Rosehall Street, C.4.; and printed Unity Press at the latter address.