NEWS OF THE WEEK W HILE the difficulties in the way
of the institution of a naval patrol off the Spanish coasts have been dis- posed of by the Non-Intervention Committee (all but one— the question of how Germany shall pay her share of the cost—which has been postponed), it becomes more doubtful than ever whether the new measures, which take effect on March 13th, have not come too late. In themselves they may be effective ; that the British and French ships should Patrol territory held by the insurgents and the German and Italian territory held by the Government is a sound arrange- ment, but although the rumour that Io,000 Italians had landed since thC volunteer ban became effective has been denied by Lord _Crataborne in the House of Commons, the numbers of Germans- and 'Italians already fighting in Spain may well be sufficient to. turn the scale. The new attacks on Madrid from the north-east are more menacing than any yet delivered, and though there is still little prospect of the capital being captured .by storm there is a growing likelihood that its last communications may be cut and the defenders starved out. Though dikipline on the Government side has improved, internal dissidence and antagonism continues, and there is no .evidence that Catalonia, powerful as it should be, is making any serious effort to assist Madrid. The traditional regionalism of Spain -may secure victory for General Franco, but it will certainly not secure consolidation for him afterwards.' -- -
