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The Volunteer The Volunteer Published As A Public Service By The VETERANS OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN BRIGADE 799 Broadway, N Y. C. 10003 DECEMBER, 1975 Franco’s last days Editor's Note: This article was written and went to press shortly before Franco's death. By ROBERT G. COLODNY The corpse of Generalissimo Franco is being kept pulsating Camacho and 2 freed by an array of machines and a phalanx of doctors. For some Early on a Sunday morning, November 30, shortly after midnight, Marcelino weeks now, workmen have been Camacho Abat, 57-year-old organizer of Spanish Workers' Commissions, quarrying in the granite bowels was freed from Carabanchel prison, just outside Madrid. Two other members of the Valley of the Fallen pre- of the "Carabanchel Ten", Nicolas Sartorius Alvarez, a 37-year-old journalist paring for the entombment. The and Juan Marcos Muniz Zapico, a 37-year-old metallurgist, were released at most recent victims of the the same time. Regime, butchered by the orders They were freed under a decree signed by Juan Carlos on November 25, of Franco's would-be successors the so-called amnesty decree granting a limited pardon to political and have been buried, but not common-law prisoners. without a response from Europe Later in the morning the three men appeared at a news conference in Madrid where they demanded full amnesty for all political prisoners and Continued on page 11 declared they would help promote a "nonviolent" campaign in the streets, in the factories, and in the schools, to achieve that end. In reply to questions, they said that it is expected that only a fraction of the 260 political prisoners believed to be held in Carabanchel would be freed and that only a few As we go to press further hundred of the estimated thousands imprisoned throughout Spain, would be confirmation of the released. repression in Spain is the Commenting on these developments, Steve Nelson, National Commander arrest of Marcelino of the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, declared that Camacho's Camacho and Fr. release" while welcomed as a victory for the Spanish people and for the Francisco Garcia Salve, democratic forces of the world, falls far short of the demands put forward by two of the Carabanchel the anti-fascist opposition, to free all political prisoners now serving 10, released on an sentences or awaiting trial. amnesty only the week He recalled that when the news of the arrest of Camacho and those imprisoned with him became known, it was the ever-growing pressure of the before by King Juan anti-Franco opposition within Spain and among the democratic Carlos de Borbon. Continued on page 10 Action on ‘treaty' front As the struggle in Spain heats up, been distributing copies of the CALL FOR the danger of U.S. intervention, "Spain Transcript" to key people overt or covert, becomes more acute. (see review elsewhere in this issue). JOINT ACTION While the "Junta Democratica" The Boston Globe ran a feature A call for joint action by the reaches out to the "Plataforma" to article on Juan Carlos by Prof. Democratic Junta and the Platform create a solid front against the William Braacch Watson of M.I.T. for Democratic Convergence was rightist terror and for a democratic The West Coast's activities are addressed to the people of Spain on Spain, certain foreign forces usually reported elsewhere but their lob- Oct. 30. It came as the result of identified with the CIA are busily bying successes are not. "Gabby" lengthy negotiations between the engaged in labeling the "Junta" Abe Osheroff and Frieda Wolff have two organizations. communist, and the "Plataforma" kept constant pressure on Sen. The statement called for "peaceful socialist or democratic. Though such Tunney and as a result he introduced political action" designed to bring descriptions are by themselves of no Resolution 295 (now referred to about a "Spanish State of a importance inside Spain, they committee) which demands that any democratic pluralist character based usually presage a course of active agreement with Spain be presented on the people's sovereignty." intervention and the descriptions are to the Senate for ratification as a Categorically rejecting the Juan made in order to prepare our treaty. This would require a two- Carlos succession as the continua- population to accept still another thirds vote and extensive hearings. tion of the Franco regime, the two interference in a "sovereign" Further, Sen. Cranston, Sen. Dick coalitions agreed to take the country. Clark (Iowa) and Sen. Abourezk necessary political steps to reach the People in this country are dis- (So. Dakota) co-sponsored the following objectives: gusted with such acts, not only be- resolution. "1. Immediate release of all cause they cost the U.S. taxpayers Professor William Watson of political and labor prisoners and the hundreds of millions of dollars, but M.I.T. and Bill Susman went to the return of all exiles. because our government always Capitol on various occasions "2. Recognition. of all indi- winds up supporting the most speaking with almost every Senator vidual rights and political freedoms reactionary regimes. on the Foreign Affairs Committee or in accordance with established It is against this background that their administrative assistants. They international law, particularly as vets throughout the country together were promised support for the treaty regards labor and all political parties with those opposed to a continuation fight by many on the committee. without exception. of Francoism without Franco, have In New York, Erich Schmidt and "3. Immediate granting of effective been organizing meetings, speaking Bill Susman had an hour on WBAI. rights and liberties to the various on radio and TV being interviewed, Milt Wolf was heard on WNYC. regions and nationalities and the issuing news releases - in a general Newsday carried an interview with establishment of their legitimate effort to reverse U.S. policy in Johnny Gates, Larry Cane and Bill autonomies. Spain. In addition, some vets have Susman. Bill also appeared on "4. Implementation of a demo- carried out an effective lobby in NBC's coast-to-coast special on cratic breakthrough by setting aside Washington. Spain where he was interviewed by a period for popular consultation Here are some of the details: Edwin Newman. based on universal suffrage to reach Saul Wellman organized a series of Congressmen throughout the a definitive decision on the form of meetings in the Detroit area attended country are being visited and asked the State and the Government." by hundreds of people. He has been to vote against any appropriations The proclamation ended by ex- interviewed extensively by the for bases in Spain. Senators are pressing the "hope that the various Detroit Free Press. He has set up a being asked to vote for the sectors in the country will realize the committee which is prepared to submission of the executive importance and urgency of a supply speakers, design and publish agreements as a treaty and then to democratic alternative and will material, distribute the material and vote against the treaty. cooperate, each in its own way, to pay for it! They have purchased a assure the peaceful coexistence and print of "Dreams and Nightmares" progress of all citizens and people of for widespread distribution. Spain Chicago, too, has its own print in "To this end the Junta and circulation. Plataforma will maintain continuous Morris Stamm in Cleveland has contact to coordinate their efforts." 1,200 attend Del Vayo memorial A meeting in memory of Julio Senators Adlai Stevenson III, Franco and was incapable of Alvarez del Vayo, prime minister of Illinois; Dick Clark, Iowa; and democratic evolution, and that the Spain during the Civil War James Aboueszk, South Dakota, sent United States must not interfere on 1936~39, was celebrated at the greetings to the meeting, as did the side of fascism against the Community Church in New York Congresswoman Bella Abzug. democratic desires of the Spanish City on the evening of November Although diversity of opinion was people. 19th, 1975. apparent among the speakers, there By strange coincidence, the death Alvarez del Vayo died, an exile in was unanimity on two aspects of the of Generalissimo Francisco Franco Geneva, at the age of 84 on May 2 Spanish question; that the Juan occurred on the same night as the of this year. Carlos regime was created to Memorial to del Vayo. The occasion also served as a continue the ultra right policies of protest against the United States' foreign policy in support of the fascist regime now headed by Juan TERROR REIGNS IN SPAIN Carlos who had been appointed By AL PRAGO monarch of Spain by his predecessor In March, 1941, the first of two articles I wrote analyzing the repression in Generalissimo Francisco Franco. Spain was printed in The VOLUNTEER. An audience of 1,200 heard a It is mind-boggling that now, 34 years later, I am writing about that same impressive and moving account of horror. For more than three decades the Spanish people have suffered fascist del Vayo's life, socialist ideals and oppression, the severity of which has varied from time to time. Now, as the devotion to his homeland by his son Franco regime is tottering, shaken by the militant actions of a new Diego del Vayo. generation, there has been a rapid escalation in ruthless, legalized terror. Other speakers were Steve Nelson Spain understands that this newest wave of repression is the reaction of a for the VALB, Erich Schmidt of the regime which fears that its rule may soon come to an end. It began while United States Committee for Franco was ill but lucid and continues (after his death) with Juan Carlos as Spanish Democracy, Barbara W.
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