Letter : from Labour Party councillors fighting in Spain (copy)

              S.R.I . 161.
PLAZA DEL ALTAZONAY,
BARCELONA, SPAIN.
9.7.38
To:   The Secretary, The Labour Party, 
Transport House, S.W.1.
Dear Middleton,
While it is difficult for us fighting in Spain to keep in the closest touch with the International situation, we could not fail to notice certain proposals now afoot for the liquidation of the Spanish war by "mediation."     There are signs that the Labour Party might be influenced by these, and it is for this reason that we, four members of the party and Councillors respectively of Liverpool, Edinburgh, Dewsbury, and the Royal Borough of Kensington, are writing you this letter which we would be grateful if you would bring to the notice of the National Executive Committee.     In our opinion, to accept any such proposals for "mediation" would be to play straight into the hands of the Fascist invaders.
It is now several months since there began with the capture of Belchite the Fascist spring offensive which ultimately brought the enemy to the sea.     During the progress of that offensive, the Republican fortunes appeared to be at their lowest ebb;    and many persons forgetting the popular resistance already demonstrated in the earliest days of the war and in the subsequent defence of Madrid, decided that the war was as good as won. The British Government appear to have made no secret that such an outcome would have been regarded as entirely convenient and satisfactory to themselves.     Since then despite the severing of the Republican territory and forces the war has been restabilised and the Fascist advance almost wholly checked.      It seems now to be the opinion even of General Franco's supporters that they can scarcely hope to win the war before 1939.
Once again the enemy has been baulked of military victory and it is at this point that there has emanated from Pro-Fascist sources that talk of mediation to which we have already referred. In this connection the U.G.T. have already addressed a letter of warning to the French and English Trade Unions, pointing out that there can be no peace until the foreign invaders are wholly driven out.     They further instance the fate of the Austrian People's attempts to compromise which have led simply to the incorporation of Austria in the German Reich.     The Fascist powers, as the Spanish Trade Unions put it, require that Spain be at their disposal as a colony, and that they have the disposition of its manpower and materials.     They assert the people's invincible determination to fight on to final victory, and ask only that they receive the continued support of those Democratic forces who realise the iniquity of 'non-intervention' as it has always been applied.
The four of us writers of this letter are in each case proud to have the whole-hearted approval by our local Labour Parties of our presence here in Spain.     We wish unanimously to support the plea  and the warning contained in the letter of the U.G.T. to their French and English comrades.     Our experience here has left us convinced that the Spanish people cannot now be overcome.     Time is working on the side of the Republic as the political unity of the people becomes ever closer and the initial difficulties of military organisation are surmounted.     With the