For a Free and Democratic Spain! To the Workers and Democrats of all Countries! : proposed statement

              Proposed statement submitted to jt mtg Paris 14.1.37 (not published) 
FOR A FREE AND DEMOCRATIC SPAIN! 
To the Workers and Democrats of all Countries !
The decisive victory of the democratic forces in Spain on the 16th February, 1936, and the firm determination of the constitutional government to assure the full development of a regime of liberty and justice were the signal for the reactionary and fascist elements of Spain and elsewhere to rise in armed revolt. Prepared in advance, with the aid of Italian and German fascism, the rebellion broke out on the 18th July, and plunged Spain into the most devastating civil war that history has ever known, accompanied by the systematic massacre of women, children and the defenceless civil population.
But the perjured generals, professional assassins and Fascist adventurers roused against them the heroic resistance of a whole people in defence of their rights and liberties and their very country.
Practically unarmed, the workers and peasants of Spain repulsed the first attacks of the armed bands, which lacked neither for munitions nor arms.
Right from the beginning, the International Federation of Trade Unions and the Labour and Socialist International lined up determinedly with the Spanish people and their legal government, energetically proclaiming the incontestable right of this government to procure freely and openly everything which is necessary for its defence against the rebels.
The two Internationals have brought all their influence to bear on public opinion and the governments to obtain for Spain, without reserve or restriction, the advantages, to which it is entitled under international law and the Covenant of the League.
Although, owing to the force of circumstances and for reasons which are well known to all, the International Labour Movement has had to submit to the non-intervention agreement concluded by the governments, the Trade Union and  Socialist Internationals have never swerved from their own standpoint of supporting without reservation the Spanish people in their fight for independence.
Organised workers, Socialists and democrats everywhere have never agreed to neutrality in the Spanish conflict. Everywhere they have understood that the fate of international democracy and peace is being fought out in Spain.