José Pei rats Edited and revised by Chris Ealham T h e CNT in t h e Spanish Revolution V o lu m e 2 by José Peirats Vails Edited by Chris Ealham ChristieBooks.com The Cañada Blanch Centre for Contemporary Spanish Studies T he C N T in the S panish R evolution V o lum e 2 by José Peirats Vails Edited by Chris Ealham Translated by Paul Sharkey and Chris Ealham First English-language edition published May 2005 by ChristieBooks.com PO Box 35, Hastings East Sussex TN34 2UX Email: [email protected] Web: www.christiebooks.com with support from the Canada Blanch Centre for Contemporary Spanish Studies Copyright © christiebooks.com In memory of the Grupo Libertad of Detroit who dedicated their lives to the everlasting struggle for the well-being of humankind — 'Llevando un mundo nuevo en el corazón': José López Ríos, Angel García, Francisco (Frank) Riberas, Pascual Domingo, Miguel (Mike) Mateo, Casiano Edo, Lea Fernández, Lorenzo Albas — and all the compañeros, in Spain and elsewhere, who fought for the same common ideal. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Peirats, Jose, 1908-1989 The CNT in the Spanish Revolution, Vol 2 1. Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (Spain) - History 2. Labour unions - Spain - History 3. Spain - Politics and government -1931-1939 I. Title 11. Ealham, Chris 946'.0811 ISBN — 10:1-873976-24-0 Paperback ISBN — 10:1-873976-25-9 Bound We do nol make war just for the sake of making war. Were our movement compelled to be encapsulated by one blunt adjective that adjective would not be "warlike", but "revolutionary". There is yet time lor us to express ourselves in the most readily understood form possible. Definite facts and definite ideas must be given their proper names. There must be an end to this mistake of double entendres which complicate the dictionary. And the fact is that frequently a play on words is followed up by the fait accompli. "War" has been so loudly trumpeted as a synonym for "revolution" that we have been induced to invest in this war with all of the bellicose happened with discipline in the proper sense. There have been comrades aplenty who, despite their bona fides, have flirted with the term and spoken to us of discipline while painting this in colours diametrically opposed to freedom. This, far from rendering discipline more humane, is a bestialisation of freedom. It is not so very long ago that an attempt was made in our circles to peddle a version of discipline implying order and responsibility comparable with anarchy. Such an endeavour always called to our minds the idea of "good government" or "tutelary authority", as opposed to despotic or blatantly authoritarian government. And just as it has not been possible to sort governments into good ones and bad ones — since in fact there are, rather, only bad ones and worse ones — we have come to learn with the passage of time that all discipline is a tributary of regimentation. We aver that all wars are inauspicious. Were it our belief that we are making a war, we should be the first to desert. The fact is that war never erupts to the advantage of those who inflict and We are not fighting here to advance anyone's private interests, though there will be no shortage of bigwigs who will seek to commandeer the fruits of our struggle and gamble on the ups and downs of our successes and our reverses, turning our rearguard into a stockjobbers' lot. Our fight is against privilege and not for the nation, a fight for liberty and not for the fatherland, a fight for anarchy and not for the Republic. We risk our lives for the collective good and not for a privileged caste. While one of us remains standing, the social revolution, which is the driving force behind our liberation movement, will never want for defenders and combatants, whether they use pen, fist, word or rifle. Wc do not make war; war is always made for the purposes of someone else, and fought out between the brethren who are poor in spirit. We make revolution for the benefit of all human beings and against the cliques who are hangovers from parasitism and seli-contrcdness. And as we are making revolution, not one square metre of reconquered ground must be subtracted from the process of transformation, despite the froglike croaking of those whose lack of spirit and mettle inclines them to dabble in the stagnant waters of politicking.' — Editorial from Acmcia (Lleida), 1936-7 Contents Glossary of organisations Cazorla affair. Dissolution of the Madrid Defence Junta. Reforming Madrid's The life and struggles of José Peirats i Municipal Council. Murcia under the Chapter 1 : Spain and the World 1 Communist Checas. Protest by the 'Preventive neutrality' by the National Committee of the CNT. People's democracies. The Giral government. The Tribunals. Revolutionary legislation. secret Italo-Spanish pact. Count Ciano's Chapter 4: The miracle of the diaries. Prieto reacts to the Non- war Industries 76 Intervention Pact. America's neutrality The Iberian Federation of Libertarian law. Rome and Berlin recognise Franco. Youth. The Libertarian Youth of Catalonia. Tendencies and positions. A Franco-British mediation. The CNT warns pact with the JSY. The meeting in the against intervention. Against the Plaça de Catalunya. The crisis of the Pact. recruitment of volunteers. The march of Alliance Youth Congress in Madrid. What war. Assault on Madrid. Fall of Irún, San happened between the Northern CNT Sebastian, Badajoz, Toledo, 'the night Madrid was saved'. 'Blond Moors' in and the government of Euskadi. The JSU as a front for the Communist Party. Jarama. Disaster in Guadalajara. Militarisation of the confedera! militias. Against the Catalan war industries. An Durango and Guernica. Views of ignoble campaign. The miracle of a popular creation. From Lluis Companys international anti-fascism. Role of the Internationals. The voice of León Felipe. to indalecio Prieto. Soviet intrigues in the nationalised industries. Scandal of the Chapter 2: Organisational life and purchasing commission. A Plenum of Trade Union Unity 26 Libertarian Movement regional Regional Plenum of CNT Peasants in committees. Catalonia. National Plenum of the CNTs Chapter 5: The tide of counter­ Communications Unions. Regional revolution 95 Plenum of the Anarchist Groups of Catalonia. National Plenum of the Steel Education and propaganda. Press and and Metalworking industries. Definition publications. School for militants, of the Unions and National Industrial information and propaganda offices. The Federations (NIF). National Plenum of Coliseum conferences. 'Anarchism and the Union of of the Agricultural, Fishing the Spanish reality'. More on the and Food Industries. Regional Plenum of December crisis. The POUM's sacrifice. the Transport Unions of the Centre. War of slogans and injuries. 'Above all National Plenum of the Federation of else, win the war'. Comorera's political Railwayworkers. Towards a National intrigues. Soviet ships. The re-emergence Plenum of Technicians. Regional of Rodriguez Sala. 'Energetic Congress of Castilian Peasants. National declarations'. The work of the enterprise Plenum of FIJL Regional Committees. The cells. The mourners of the liaison events of Vilanesa. Soviet press committees. Anti-collectivist congress. defamation. CNT-UGT Alliance. State of The events of La Fatarella. The mystery of the Problem. The Only Party of the the twelve stolen tanks. Fresh crisis in the Proletariat The Alliance in Aragón. Generalitat. The aborting of a solution. The solutionless solution. Chapter 3: The Shadow of Chapter 6: The bloody the Kremlin 55 events of May 116 The National Committee of the CNT and the Central Committee of the Communist The events of Puigcerdà. A chain of Party establish bases of compromise. provocations. A sombre First of May. 'No Stalinist duplicity. Clandestine prisons. one must allow themselves to be The Maroto Case. The confederal disarmed!' The attack on the Barcelona National Committee takes sides. Press Telephone Exchange. Popular censorship and prosecution. Communist mobilisation and first confrontations. terrorism in the villages of Castile. The Cease fire! Armistice negotiations. 'The friends of Durruti'. The checas in Chapter 9: Ironies of a first action. The murder of Camilo Berneri. anniversary 203 The threat of foreign intervention. Historic Plenum of the FA1. A new Attempt on the life of Federica structure is announced. Anarchist Montseny. Central government intervention in public institutions. The intervention. The peace of the specific organisation of the masses. cemeteries. Provocations continue. The Towards a new political party? The murder of the hostages. The groups react. Against the Special kidnapping of Andreu Nin. Bloody Tribunals. The growing offensive against repercussions. Response of the front­ the POUM. The CNT protests. First line militias. The 'pacification anniversary of the revolution. programme'. Press censorship and Denouncing a crime of state: the murder disarmament. A manifesto from the of Andreu Nin. Timid explanations by National Committee. The motives the minister of justice. The churches behind the provocation. The black hand reopen. Trial opens of the 'Tortosa affair', of Stalin. Conclusions. A new Stalinist creation: the GEPCI. Chapter 7: The crisis of the Complications in the socialist crisis. Caballero government 146 Largo Caballero under attack. A new CNT-UGT pact. The breakdown of public order in Catalonia. The Executive Council of the Chapter 10: Destruction of the Generalitat. Military gangs of the Council of Aragón 228 Generalitat. Beginnings of a crisis. A The offensive begins. The imaginary historic Council of Ministers. The crisis terrorist plot. The attempt on the life of deepens. Political breakdown. The the president of the Barcelona High Negrfn government. The CNT and UGT Court. Soviet 'untouchables'. Comorera despair of government. More on the and the 'tribes'. The Barbastro Assembly deepening crisis. The CNT in and the Alcañiz Plenum.