Joint meeting of the Labour and Socialist International, International Federation of Trade Unions, representatives of British and French industrial and labour movements, London, 24th January, 1939 (statement)

              This joint meeting of officers of the Labour and Socialist International and the International Federation of Trade Unions and representatives of the British and French industrial and labour movements, meeting in London on 24th January, 1939,
Realising the gravity of the events now taking place in Spain, and the imminent prospect of a renewed diplomatic offensive by the Governments of Hitler and Mussolini,
Insists on the grave dangers which would follow for France, Great Britain and the other democratic and peace-loving nations if Catalonia were conquered by the foreign invaders fighting under General Franco's command;
Reiterates the demand that the Franco-Spanish frontier shall be opened for the passage of arms and that the legal right of the Spanish Government to purchase arms shall be restored;
Denounces the numerous atrocities recently committed by the invading forces, and in particular the shooting of 200 women and children at Santa Colonna, the systematic bombardment and machine gunning from the air of unarmed refugees on the roads, and the repeated air bombardments of the Civilian population of Barcelona in open defiance of the recent condemnation by the Council of the League of Nations;
Draws attention to the danger that poison-gas may be used by General Franco's forces, and urges that the British and French Governments should forthwith make it clear that they would regard the use of gas as an intolerable crime;
Expresses its deep appreciation of the action of the French government in providing 45,000 tons of flour for