SPAIN-Are WE Prepared? Relative “Freedom”—At Least So Far As the Foreign Press Was Concerned, “Old-Timers” Look for Their Support
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ween the government which does tk' * . ^1e People who accept it In this Issue: ®re is a certain shameful solidarity.' VICTOR HUGO. Controversy on ‘the People in the S tre e ts’-p2 M A Y 4 1963 Vol 24 No 14 THE ANARCHIST WEEKLY-4d. 'J ’HE recent execution of the Spanish communist Julian Gri- mau in the teeth of world dis approval, and the tightening up of press censorship after a period of SPAIN-are WE prepared? relative “freedom”—at least so far as the foreign press was concerned, “old-timers” look for their support. France? (de Gaulle s brusque call Spanish “old-timers” ?). It is how actual presence at the various bases has given rise to speculations of a Of course they can count on the ing-off of- trade talks with Spain ever much more likely that the leased to them by Franco, could be change in the regime at top level. Army- leaders and the powerful following the execution of Grimau Spanish reactionaries are looking to of value to the reactionaries in the Last Sunday’s Observer prominently Sections of the Church, landowners does not promise Well, though on the United States for support if and event of American intervention in featured a report “by a Special Cor and industrialists, but is there any the other hand de Gaulle has shown when the explosion takes place in any struggle that might result from respondent” the gist of which is that reason to believe that in 1963 they willingness to mak? life difficult for Spain. As it is the regimes has a political coup-d’etat. Franco is now so seriously ill that can hold down the Spanish people the Spanish refugees in France in been kept going by large injections Once one starts speculating there he has lost his grip on affairs as any more successfully than in 1936, return for a tightening up on OAS of dollaf-aid, and the army “mod is no end to the possibilities and well as his Cabinet. It appears that without outside support? Last time activities in Spain. ; What intrigues ernised” (at least by Spanish stand probabilities. After all one has not the Council of Ministers debated the it was the Italian and German dic are currently taking place between ards) and communications improv mentioned Russia’s reactions, which fate of the Communist Grimau for tators. Who will it be this time? OAS, French militarists and the ed, again by the Americans, whose will have an important bearing on 14 hours, during which time Franco the United States’ and so on. What did not utter a single word, and it should be exercising the thought and was only by a majority of one vote activities of all those who still be that Grimau’s fate was sealed. All lieve in the Spanish peoples’ ability the military (including the Vice- to free themselves from their local President, Munoz Grandes who tyrants is to prepare a world opinion voted out “of solidarity” with his which if and when the clash comes, fellow military, though arguing will be strong and militant enough throughout in favour of clemency) AMD AFTER ALL WEVF to prevent Spain from becoming a and two civilians, voted for the ap .DONE FOR. HIM— TO BE pawn in the game of power politics, plication of the death penalty'. The d e c l a r e d r e d u n d a n t / another Cuba or Congo. The Observers' correspondent points out 1 ground should be prepared now. If that “If General Franco is not we wait until something happens capable of backing up his vice- then once again all the best will ’n president in a short term question the world, the fine sentiments and such as this, it is thought unlikely the bandages and : condensed milk that his authority will be sufficient will stir the best feelings in human to ensure an automatic succession”, ity, but it will' be too late. The If the Observer's facts are correet tragedy of the Left is that it takes it would appear that the ageing up causes when it is already too late -General . .... ..,_____ ... , .. .ia-inSy ence, or help them. • .— in recent weeks has been pushed more and more into the hands of a clique of old-timers, headed by Sr. Carrero Blanco, Spanish Embassy who want to maintain the status quo regardless of consequences. Demonstration The question that springs to Tha London Federation of Anarchists mind is to ask where will these supported by a number of Spanish com rades, held a demonstration outside the- Spanish Embassy last Saturday. About wrong for the people who are subjected the committee as the whole affair does 80 people turned up to show their to the pretensions of authority to protest to the state and its machinery of solidarity with out Spanish comrades “justice”. against them, in any but the most polite who are suffering long years of im of demonstrations. An unofficial inquiry of this type HOLD OUR OWN ENQUIRY! would have no legal status, no power prisonment in Franco’s gaols without An alternative way of tackling the anything like a fair trial. 'T ’HE Manchester and Salford Trades would not be effective in discovering matter, would be that the people who to compel witnesses to attend, and no power to jail those who refused to The police were there in force sup ■* Council recently passed a resolution the facts and carrying out remedies, not are concerned about the use of provo ported by the “hurry-up” wagon and calling for an official inquiry into police because there were no incidents that cative violence by the police, and as the answer it, or who expressed their con prevented the first arrivals of comrades deserve wide publication and exposure, Guardian points out, these are not con tempt of it. Nevertheless, these facts from occupying the island in the road behaviour on March 26th, when repre could be made into points of strength, sentatives of unemployed workers but because an official inquiry, by its fined to the immediate recipients of it, directly in front of the embassy. We not weakness, if it was conducted openly, throughout the country held a demon very nature, is inhibited from achieving should hold their own public inquiry. argued for some time with the police in the spirit of an attempt to determine stration outside parliament. this object. Not only are its members A similar suggestion was made in the over using the island, but they seemed the truth, and to let participants in the In commenting, unfavourably, on the invariably drawn from circles in editorial columns of I Freedom at the to think that we would be a little too suggestion, the Guardian (20/4/631 sympathy with the state;- but its exist time of the government inquiry into the demonstration from all sides put their near the embassy for its continued safety. quotes the last inquiry, in connection ence starts from the premise that it is execution of Timothy Evans, which simi points of view without distortion or in We were slowly forced off the island terruption. It could represent an appli with police violence at the Committee right for police to try to control demon larly concluded that no miscarriage of onto the pavement round the garden of 100 demonstration in Trafalgar strations with, no doubt, the minimum justice had occurred, a conclusion that cation of the idea that the liberation enclosure. As more comrades arrived we Square in September, 1961. Despite the of necessary violence, and that it is in retrospect reflects as little credit to Continued on page 4 started to walk up and down with our fact that the police used considerable banners and posters. violence at that time, both in the Square Throughout the demonstration, the and after arresting individuals, the re police stood in a line in the road at port presented to the Home Secretary, six yard intervals flanking us. A further Mr. Butler, completely whitewashed With many firms there seems to be no line equally spaced out stood on the edge them. At the time, it was not known limit to the amount of overtime they of the kerb guarding their precious that anyone actually believed the report want to be worked on the sites. island, in-' the road. Reinforcements except the police officials who investi THE 40-H0UR WEEK We have been told this week that were ready round the corner in case of gated the affair, the Royal Commission productivity in the Building Industry need, a need that did not arise. The who investigated them, and the Home The National Incomes Commission trade but also to oilier industries. The must rise by 55% over the next ten demonstration was held almost in silence Secretary. have, as expected, condemned the Scot employers have given way but the Gov years but, and here is the rub, only a which was broken only by occasional However, it seems as if the Guardian's tish Building Industry’s agreement for ernment seems determined to prevent the 2% rise in the labour force is expected. cat-calls from passers by. leader writer was also taken in, since a 40-hour week which is to commence spread and the Commission is merely I know that with increased mechanisa he uses the former incident, without any next November and the Scottish plumb a highly paid mouthpiece for them that tion and new methods of construction obvious logic, to oppose holding an ers 40-hour week agreement which is will be used to attack any attempt to jobs wilt be completed more quickly and inquiry into the present one.