28 JANUARY 1938, Page 21

THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT

[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.]

Sta,—As Janus knows what " the Government of the Spanish Republic quite definitely is not," perhaps he will tell us what it quite definitely is, and also enlighten us as to what it was on the outbreak of the Civil War. To many of us this question needs clearing up, and I am glad to find in your correspondent an authority on the question.—Yours truly, [Janus writes : My authority is no greater than that of anyone who has access to the ordinary reference-books. After the General Election of February, 1936, a Left-Centre Coalition Government under Senor Azafia (Left Republican) took office. At the outbreak of the Civil War a similar administration under Sefior Quiroga, also Left Republican, was in power ; neither administration contained Communists. The Prime Minister today is Setior Negrin, a moderate Socialist, but the general character of the administration, though two Com- munist Ministers are now included, is substantially the same.]