1937-07-12 — Page 8

The Special Correspondent .......

Of The Manchester Guardian" Tells This Story Of

THE DEFENDERS

HE loyalist army is a genuineThe

devotion with supreme courage, re- sourcefulness, “and discipline. There can be no doubt at all that the Italian is a first-rate soldier when is fighting for the cause he has

he

Toplam and men en uit the column is altogether unique, excellent machine-gunners for the The column is now taking part

tary age flock to the colours except in out of a job, because they wanted hand-grenade; they resemble who Catalonia. There are few deserters. adventure or escape from domestic Spanish "dynamiteros, Occasionally men are found with or emotional trouble, or because they storm machine-gun positions seif-inflicted wounds (they are, as a were merely neurotic or even jealous home made hand-grenades. rule, peasants from politically back of the older generation that could ward regions). But the spirit of the boast of having fought in the Great hard- army as a whole is one of a strange- War. Many underrated the ly steadfast determination, which ships and dangers. There have been is perhaps much more formidable hundreds of desertions. from a revolutionary and military But many joined out of sheer dis-

the in the great education work that will is being carried out in the loyalist. with army. The more epic qualities are The giving way (in "quiet" periods) to

OF MADRID

point of view than any will enthusi- interested devotion to a cause. Those French have had the largest number patience and psychological insight. asm. Without this spirit the army who are left are an experienced, war- of deserters, because it was easier The Spaniards are quick to learn, of for them than for any others both but a peasant people, unused to seri- -could-not-exist-it is the main found- hardened elite-as true a band

take ation of its great discipline.

heroes as any that ever existed. to come and to go. The French who ous warfare, who only a short while

na- have remained are men of prodi- ago thought it cowardly to Here, as on the Teruel front, poli- There are men of almost all tical dissension has been overcome. tions in the column. Every nation gious valour and impetuosity. The cover, who thought drill. absurd, The chief reason is the brute real- has shown qualities of its own. The Americans are an elite by reason of and never cleaned a rifle, have to ity of the war and the danger of Swiss are formidable for their dour their sober courage and their sim- be taught thoroughly and patiently. is that massacre (a danger

their concentrated, ple, keen intelligence. The Germans Even now the loyalist soldier is in- attends obstinacy and

are are the best that Germany can give clined to fire more shots than

realise the every advance, whether by rebels or fretful impatience when they loyalists). But it has also been the not attacking. The Poles are kind- (and that is saying much). Many necessary, nor does he realis

and of them have been hardened by per- supreme importance of keeping at conscious policy of the Spanish and hearted, romantic, dashing, their foreign advisers to remove poli- absolutely fearless. The English secution and have much to avenge, least the barrel of his rifle clean ́tics from the army. This purpose seem to treat the war as a kind of But if there were a vote in the co- (though he likes to carry a rose or

that the a carnation in the muzzle). has been admirably served by the job that has to be done--and they lumn it would be seen "Political Commissars," who resem- do it well. (The pacifists from the Italians are the favourites; they Some of the officers of the column ble the "Delegues aux Armees” of English universities are said to be combine a passionate chivalry revolutionary France.

The Political Commissar has an

almost superhuman-task, which THE he has, on the whole, carried out with skill and resolution. He is usually a Spaniard, but sometimes a German, a Frenchman, an Hun- garian, and so on. Some of the in Commissars have been trained Russia as propagandists and soldi-

quarrels but even

to

WORLD GOES BY By "ULYSSES"

EADING în

Waking up (a procedure I go

*were

intellate efficiency-a German

and are a whole education in themselves. There is Ludwig Renn, for example, the well-known author of “War.” If he knows fear he has never shown it. In the terrible battles of the first few months, when the column was the only force which opposed the well-armed and disciplined rebel battalions and the Italian aeroplanes and tanks, he was always calm and cheerful. He would explain to Singapore I would have hauled down our flag frightened recruits, some of whom ers. They have to mediate between RE

forgotten the honour and hardly knew the use of a rifle, that Anarchists, Communists, and Socia- newspaper the other day of the and

(c.

e. the bullets whistling round lista not only to stop all political shooting of a tiger up-country re- prestige of Empire-builders.

not so dangerous as they seemed. minded me of that hectic day whenf. Raffles). discourage

As it was we plodded on, fearful He himself would always be where political discussion "up the line."I participated in a thrilling tiger- Politics are not actually forbidden hunt, which will surely go down in of attack from Oncoming Savages the danger was greatest. He would in the trenches, but they have been the annals of Malayan. big-game armed with Deadly Poisoned Darts. inspirit the weak and wavering and as good as eliminated. Whether the hunting as the biggest and best Nothing eventuated, however, ex-shame the timid; none round him cept that we were bitten by another but was stronger for his presence. Spanish army will ever be a unify-day's sport ever experienced.

of 10,000 mosquitos (the first 10,- He showed great ability as a mili- ing force in a wider national sense, It happened, in that part whether it will be the nucleus of na- Malaya known as Negri Sembilan, 000 having fed to their satisfaction tary commander. Now that he has cheerfulness, tional unity in a new Spain all in the midst of dense tropical jun-and were by now sleeping off their been on a quiet front for some time

orgy), and became burdened with a he this will depend on the outcome of gle.

few more leeches. the war.

This went on for hours, the dense officer of the highest type, “a verray The "Political Commissar" has through every day, though those tropical jungle shutting out all parfit gentil knight." other tasks as well. He is first in who say they know me doubt it) sign of the sun. We had no idea But the International Column attack and last in retreat. He has to one fine morning, I was

told by where we were.

By now, to tell would provide subjects for a whole intervene wherever there is a panic. an agitated Tamil that tiger-marks the truth, we cared little. We gallery of portraits. The revolu- He also has to hold back men who were all round the bungalow thought of the beer in the ice-chest tion has released many brutish and are too foolhardy. He represents With difficulty suppressing a de and of the long chairs on the terrible, instincts among the people both the officers and the rank and sire to scream, I called for my verandah.

They seemed far away. of Spain, but it has also released Living, as he does, amongst trusty gun and rounded up fellow Suddenly we broke through the a passion for skill and knowledge. the men he knows who is fit for pro planters in the vicinity, also with jungle and out onto a grassy sward. There is great illiteracy amongst motion. Or if men are needed for trusty guns.

Facing us was the bungalow we the loyalist troops. Intrenches, some task of special danger or dif- The fun started when the Malay had left early that morning and dug-outs, and sheltered spots schools ficulty he can select them. He will syce told the brave tuans that the had never thought to see again. are springing up. The men, taught explain orders that may seem un-tiger would most likely be in the Shock Number One. Shock Num- chiefly by Spaniards who have been just or unintelligible. He will often padi fields.

accord, ber Two followed. The "boy," schoolmasters

who have had put the men's case before their com- therefore, the aforesaid tuans with the most annoying grim I have clerical employment, die in front of manders. He will listen to com- turned and fled into the thickest ever seen on human face, said, and to write. plaints and will be present at courts part of the jungle.

"No belong tiger marka, tuan, be- the blackboard like rows of chil- martial. He will talk to men dis- After hacking our way through long pig.". Shock Number Three,dren. They have copy-books that covered with self-inflicted wounds, several miles of creeper, bush and however, gave us the coup de might have come and perhaps have secure merciful treatment for them, general whatnot, and several times grace and accounts for my oc- come from a kindergarten. perhaps, and persuade them that they being scared to death through the casional mysterious behaviour, are trench libraries with Spanish have done wrong (most, of those who impression (mistaken) that a par- even now, two years later. Our translations of Dickens, Mark Twain, have been treated leniently after be-ticularly thick portion of creeper trusty guns had not been loaded. and Cluade Farrere ("A Fascist of them explains, ing found with self-inflicted wounds was a python hanging from a tree But I got my tiger. I went into author,” as have become excellent soldiers). and waiting for its prey, we found town the next day and bought him- "but we have so few books that we

The "Political Commissar" is that

a

all had dozen or

It was a canot afford to be particular"). so all fifteen feet of him. true "soldier's friend." He is also

hanging to our legs (Les lovely skin. Still is. I point to Some of the One, wear leggings) and had it with pride and tell new friends, begin to le ly Spanish troops. Despite their been bitten by at least ten thousand "Yes, my first tiger. No, I just the men of growing nationalism, the latter are mosquitos and other insects. (Les-bagged him, you know. devoted to the officers of the column. son Two, stay at home).

much, really. Oh, very nice Their devotion even goes so far that This brought home to us in no you to say 80,

I'm sure. they will sometimes desert from uncertain fashion the perils of ti-matter of fact, it was

our dangerous, but we their units so as to serve under a ger-hunting and, had not foreigner.

trusty guns with us, I

we right"

file.

12

an important link between the pure-180 eg

With

a

one

fear

Nothing often

of There are As a in geol terribly veal cross

or

Mugh al- and clays or even

fossil.

There

students will or French;

onal, Column..

language lessons.

courses will re- varied rocks ·

Occasional

An