The Spanish Revolution. Vol. 2, no. 5

              Vol. II N.° 5   Barcelona, March 17, 1937   Please reprint
THE SPANISH REVOLUTION
BULLETIN OF THE WORKERS' PARTY OF MARXIST UNIFICATION OF SPAIN
P.O.U.M.
AGENTS FOR ENGLAND:
The I.L.P. 
The Marxist League. 
PRICE IN ENGLAND: 2d.
PRICE IN U.S.A.  .05
EDITORIAL OFFICE: "THE SPANISH REVOLUTION"
10, Rambla de los Estudios 
BARCELONA
CONTENTS
1: The Blockade of Revolutionary Spain.    2: A Revolutionary Army.    3: We Must Act     4:  The Public Order Decrees.    5: The Red Aid of the P.O.U.M.    6: The P.O.U.M. Library.
THE BLOCKADE OF REVOLUTIONARY SPAIN
The recent decisions of the London Committee mark a new phase in the attitude of the great powers towards the civil war in Spain. With the participation of "neutral" France and England along with the aggressors, Italy and Germany, a land and sea blockade of Spain is being organised.
What do the great imperialist powers want?
From the first, the attitude of the fascist states, Italy, Germany and Portugal, has been evident. They watched the preparation of the fascist uprising with favour. They encouraged and sustained it. They boldly brought it their effective support, in arms, munitions and men. No pact has succeeded in restraining them from helping their vassal, for which they have all acquired incontestible territorial and economic advantages.
Imperial England and democratic France are bound, in this as in other European problems, to advance the democratic London-Paris-Moscow bloc against the fascist bloc. The policy of England and France, the former leading the latter, has been directed as much against a revolutionary Spain as against the puppet Franco, behind whom the threatening fascist powers are hiding. The European democracies fear the revolution more than fascism and their major concern has been to localize the Spanish civil war.
The success of Franco would be a direct threat to the democratic bloc. The triumph of the Spanish workers, on the other hand, would threaten the privileges of world capitalism. In face of this alternative, Russia, in spite of her direct intervention, stands beside the democratic imperialist bloc, giving her support only upon the condition that the capitalist republic be mantained in Spain.
After repeated open violation of the non-intervention pact on the part of the fascist powers. France and England have brought about a blockade of Spain. What will be the result?
The blockade will not help the Spanish Revolution. It has already been applied against it. Since February, 20, France has closed her frontier to Catalonia, preventing foreigners from passing. She is taking rigorous measures of control. Her haste is far ahead of that of Portugal or Italy and Germany.
Who will stop the mercenaries of the fascist countries, disguised as "volunteers" for the Spanish Legion, from landing in the rebel ports? A French or British navy? No sanctions are provided.
Who will control the coasts and ports of the loyalists? The German and Italian navies, ready to renew their cowardly aggression against the civil population!
The experience of these seven months of civil war, which has demonstrated the impotence of the democratic countries in face of the aggression of the fascist powers, justifies our scepticism regarding the results of the control.
There is a direct relation between the date of March 6th, first chosen for beginning the control, and Franco's latest offensive against Madrid. In as much as this attack has failed again, the blockade of the fascist coasts will not be applied as yet.
The blockade of Spain is a coercive measure on the part of those who would force the workers to abandon their revolution and to conclude a shameful peace with their worst class enemies, under pain of being strangled.
The Spanish workers can expeet no help from the democratic governments of Europe. They are however resolved to defend their revolutionary conquests to the end.
Workers of the world, help them!
Down with the blockade of revolutionary Spain!