Two recent descriptions of the personal appearance of Senor Francisco Largo Caballero may be quoted, the first from the pen of a London newspaper correspondent 4 bald-headed ite man with a monk's face and fierce grey e¥es...-a former Plasterer...cboss' of" the" "General Union of "Workers, with one word 10 whom "and to "their alley the Anarchist Syndlealits, he can paralyze Spain in a goheral strike the second from a woman writer who paid a visit to Spain after the suppression of the rising in the Asturias October 1934:
Atypical trade red, and thickset, he Feminded of any one of a. dozen persons. wie maybe seen "dally" at Transport House. "He had Just" that same. sti born," yet" shrewd, Jock about the yes' and set of the often betokens a promise until driven Largo Caballero is regarded by the Fight parties who are now endeavour-10 upset the present regime as rebrand Communist, but he. has disclaimed Communist sympathies and actually has incurred consider-fable Communist hostility. Now, In his effort. to consolidate" bob Government all the ments in the country, he has accepted [Communist colleagues. in his newly-formed cabinet. His appointment may come too late, 'The insurgents' successes at Trun put the Northern districts ina diMeult position and it pi is by no means clear that the reported jeheck at Talavera has definitely relieved the pressure on Madrid, for [Toledo is in danger and the evidently serious situation of Malaga must Increase the prestige of the insurgent Fees. The decision to place the (Government's forces under' the con: trol of a. single directing command seems to Indicate a determination (0 rally the country against the insurgents. Senor Caballero. is already {faced with further "defection Irom the diplomatic corps, notably the 'Spanish Ambassador "tothe United 'Slates of America. 'The' occasion Jelearly demands the man and it is now Largo Caballero's obligation to prove that he fulfils the demand, "He can at least claim that it is. made upon him in elreumstanees of con siderable diMeulty so if he really manages to retrieve the misfortunes of the present regime, he will have Sjustited' the confidence imposed in him, Senor Azana's tour of the Aghting line seems to suggest. that calamity has infused into the loyalists! ranks much needed cohesion and unity of purpose. Yet the general Impression made by the ables is by no means favourable to the Government: the insurgents seem to be gaining the upper hand. If they are to be held, the struggle must be prolonged and bitter. On both sides there are no illusions regarding. the fate of defeated leaders when once 2 conclusive verdict has been secured.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.