NEWS OF THE WEEK
IT is not difficult to find causes for the military revolt which broke out in- Spain and Morocco over the week- end : but undoubtedly its most immediate occasion was the murder of Calvo Sotelo, the chosen leader of the reaction. Neither Fascism nor Monarchism are needed 'as-explanations ;; General Franeo is a Republican and a soldier, and his support is the army which has been persecuted for suppressing the 1934 revolt.. But Genefil -Franco's. rebellion is pOssibly the last attempt of the reaction to resist the victory of the revolutionary forces. .Reports from Spaidenntinue to be contradictory- and obseure ; but it is difficult to believe that, while the armed forces are divided; iiie.lttempt could succeed in a country _where the masses of the population have nothing to gain and something to lose by the defeat of the Popular Front. The eiVit,, war may drag on but with a result-which may confound all General Franco's hopes : instead of, checking the revolutionary advance it may carry it to the extreme. One of the first effects'of the revolt was to produce a shift tn'the Left in the Govern-. ment, and it is:to the Socialik and Communist workers that arms haVe been distributed. a If the Government wins by their loyalty and exertions, they Will be 'the masters of Spain. And it appears that victory is in their grasp. The rebels still hold Morocco; Saragossa; Valladolid and: Seville.; they. have been defeated in Barcelona, and are about to march- on Madrid from Burgos. According to some refilorts,,their defeat is. only a matter. of . days ; but _it seemslikely that ...General Franco's revolt, even though defeated, will have plunged Spain into a -,prolonged period of violence and perhaps terror.
