The Spanish Revolution. Vol. 2, no. 7

              Vol. II N.° 7   Barcelona, April 21, 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 Crisis of the Government of Catalonia. - 2. Revolution vs. Counter-Revolution. - 3. The Thirteen Points. - 4. Treachery at Malaga. - 5. Catalonia Losses Her Army. - 6. The Democratic Countries Against the Spanish Revolution. - 7. The Agrarian Question in Spain
THE CRISIS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF CATALONIA
After twelve days the crisis of the Government of the Generality continues in the same state as on the day it first broke out. The unexpected decision of the President of the Generality in appointing a restricted government from above, instead of facilitating a solution, has only complicated and deferred it. This threat of a "coup d'etat" has miserably failed, covering the actor with ridicule and considerably diminishing his authority, already badly damaged. The result can be foreseen. If the former Government, constituted with the support of the organizations represented, was unable to stand up, what fate other than complete failure can await the new manoeuvres of the President? The idea of hurriedly naming a government, simply because the organizations concerned cannot reach an agreement, is most dangerous.
The C.N.T. councillors have not taken over their posts; the Government was still-born; the crisis continues and at the very time we write these lines no solution can be found.
The C.N.T. and the P.S.U.C., the two principal rivals, stubbornly hold to their positions. The former, demands fundamentally, as a necessary condition to their continued collaboration, the modification of the Public Order Decrees, decisive support for socializing large agricultural estates, the encouragement of industrial collectivitzation, a rigorous cleansing of the armed forces, the setting up of advisors in each of the Councils made up of delegates from the other organizations represented in the Government, etc. The reformists flatly refuse these demands and themselves demand the immediate application of the Public Order Decrees, oppose all attempts to socialize the countryside, desire a slow pace in collectivizing industry and demand full authority for the Councillors without interference by the organizations.
In these circumstances, a solution is only possible if based upon concessions of principle.
Will the C.N.T. (Anarcho-Syndicalists) give in again? It appears improbable. The evident retreat made by the revolution during recent weeks has produced a lively discontent in Anarchist circles. This discontent among the workers of the C.N.T. is growing every day, and the recent Congress, of the Catalan trade unions ordered the directing committee not to retreat a single step further.
Will the P.S.U.C. (Stalinists) give in? If the C.N.T. stands firm by its position, the P.S.U.C. can only do likewise, because it lacks the strength and the prestige to govern against the C.N.T. and the P.O.U.M., the organizations which represent the revolutionary will of the masses of Catalan workers and which hold strategic positions.
In this case, a government analogous to the original one would be formed, but with a reinforcement of the positons of the C.N.T. Without doubt the solution would be as transitory as the earlier ones, because the basic problem in question is the problem of power, and the problem has no solution other than that proposed by our party—the formation of a government made up exclusively of the representatives of the workers' parties and organizations, which would immediately put into effect a series of socialist measures (such as envisaged in the 13 points framed by the Central Committee of the P.O.U.M.) and call a Congress of delegates of Workers' and Peasants' Unions and of soldiers, from which would spring the Workers' and Peasants' Government so badly needed in the present circumstances.
ANDRES NIN