Aug. 7.
The military revolt which broke out in Spain on July 17 has had such disastrous results that Reuter has only now been able to attempt coherent assessment of the exceedingly involved situation. When it is realized that the insurgents managed to seize virtually the whole of Spanish Morocco in the first days of the outbreak nearly three weeks ago and that they have not been dislodged from Seville, Saragossa, Burgos and Albacete which fell to them at the outset, the task of the Government is seen to be extraordinarily difficult. The last—and temporarily successsful—attempt of the fascists—to use a convenient term for covering the different aMiliations of the insurgents who include monarchists, "right" republicans and even a sprinkling of syndicalists—took, place nearly two years ago. was -marked by considerable, ferocity and the terrible slaughter inflicted by the counter-revolutionaries under Lerroux and Gil Robles involved the killing of 1,400 and wounding of 3,000 of their opponents—a cost in lives far exceeding that which put the republican regime in power under Azana. During 1935 the left-wing elements in Barcelona and the Asturias staged a short-lived revolt, It led to the "white terror" which sent 25,000 socialists and their allies to prison, In the early part of this year the turn of electoral fortune reversed the position and the "pure Republican" regime which effected a wholesale gaol! delivery came into power. Against this regime the present revolt has been aimed and its sweeping success in Morocco has given it a strong foothold in Andalusia, where, however, the Government: appears to have been, able retain Malaga. Insurgent control of Seville, Cordova and La Linea—and the ' latest telegrams suggest that they hold Ronda—can, be readily reinforced by air from Morocco. Moreover, General' Francisco" Franco has now been able to effect communication by sea between Morocco and Andalusia with the result that he has landed.
2,000 troops of the Foreign Legion on Spanish sell. This constitutes a most serious threat to the Government, especially if it be confirmed, that the important naval arsenal at Cartagena has been destroyed.
It may seem curious that the Government has had to contend with opposition at. Barcelona, the hot-bed of anarchical-syndicalism. and Catalan independence. This; perhaps is due to the fact that a section of the syndicalists under the son of the monarchical dictator, Prime de Rivera, has been organized into a fascist group known as the Young National Syndicalist Offensive, Moreover the syndicalists have long shown strong hostility to the dominant socialist party. Apart from the—indescribably brutal murder of the brilliant Royalist leader, Don Jose Calve Sotelo on July 13, the immediate cause of the outbreak seems fo have been the action of the Government in carrying) out a "purge" of the officers of the "Army. Those who. were specially associated with the rising fof October 1934 were singled out for removal. A large number of olicers of the Foreign Legion were affected. 'Thus the signal for revolt Acted upon on July 18 in Morocco, was enthusiastically greeted by the force chiefly responsible for the samsoning" of Spain's African, Colonies. As the threat to the'
Government has developed during the past fortnight it seems probab that the disunity of the "left-wing" parties has been remedied. There {g" some doubt, however, whether this implies. 'a more. markedly communist complexion "of the: dominating clements at Madrid of has led to a moderating influence With the object of ensuring as wide 8 possible a basis for the re~ publican regime, Against the latter theory is the known implacability of the communists" allied to an Astounding lack of realism which must be worth many men to the insurgents, who, judging from the {ragmentary information available, seem to possess greater powers of Cohesion and ce-ordination as well as a better sense of strategy.
When the insurrection broke out it was described as definitely "monarchico" and, obviously, it draws considerable strength "from that section of the population. Subsequent developments appeared to modify that view, but, of course, much will depend on the ultimate outcome of the attack on the Government. King Alfonso, at all, events, has given no sign that he prepared to regard the revolt as indicating an invitation. to the resumption of his dynasty's occupancy of the Spanish throne. The crisis ff the conflict may conceivably be approaching. At Burgos, where the insurgents have set up the headquarters of their provisional government to which already certain Spanish diplomatic. re-Dreséntatives abroad have trans forred their allegiance, General Mola is organizing a give on Madrid through the Guadarrama Mountains, His hopes of assistance by a concurrent advance from the South of the forces which have gained certain -strategic points in Andalusia, notably Seville and. Cordova, will be stimulated General Franco's success in landing troops. from. Morocco. 'The. me surgents' air force seems to. have effectively broken the Government's naval. cordon which for, fame time. kept 'General Franco' transports held up at Couia: Both sides, however, are vigorously claiming successes. The Govern-tment declares that it has captured a key position in occupying Fonta San Rafael in the North-west of the Guadarrama range. This is set off by the insurgents" assertion that they have Villalba in their hands and thus out Madrid off from com= munication with Avila, in the South of Old Castille. At this stage itis Impossible to. decide where the balance of advantage ies. The Government seems to have lost round in the last few days. Unless it can achieve' a decisive success in the Guadarrama Mountains, its position will become des erate and its retention of Madrid will be most precarious.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.