'I AGE EIHT T HE MICHIGA N D ALY SUNDAY, APRi 5, .1937 SPAIN War Situation Analyzed In Not-Impartial Journalism BEHIND THE SPANISH BARRI- CADES by John Langdon-Davies. By IRVING M. COPILOWISH j Here is a book which should be of special interest to Michigan students, reminding them of their recently or- ganized Friends of Spanish Democ- racy, a group which the author would highly approve. Behind the Spanish Barricades is an account of the Spanish Civil War, from its be- ginning to the fall of the Alcazar. Mr. Langdon-Davies, in Spain as special correspondent for the News- Chronicle, presents what I take to be an authentic account of the conflict and some of the political machina- tions which preceded the fascist re- bellion. The facts are recorded by a man who feels them strongly, and who understands their significance and historical importance. Because of this understanding, his book is not mere military record of battles, dates, names and maneuvers, but a sympa- thetic and successful attempt to treat them as manifestations of a larger struggle: that of a people to be free. Because it is not a mere military record, the book is not completely im- partial. In the preface, the author admits, "I think one side right and the other criminally wrong However, he does not let the matter rest, but continually adduces facts and records to support his view. The author takes a definite stand. It seems to be the correct one. Mr. Langdon-Davies begins his ac- count with the last May Day cele- bration before the insurrection. The popular Front is in power, and is enthusiastically suppprted by the people. A cheerful picture, one of hope, is painted for us as Madrid pa- rades and picnics in the sun. Be- tween that day and the July out- break we travel over Spain with the author, seeing the poverty and des- peration which remain of the Gil Robles and Laroux dictatorship, and which the Popular Front govern- ment was engaged in alleviating be- fore the war. Before launching in- to his task of recounting the actual incidents of the rebellion, the author presents an adequate summary of the political movements in Spain from the deposition of the Monarchy in 1931 up to Franco's attempted coup in July, 1936. In addition to reporting the actual engagements apd advances made, the author's purpose is to portray life in Spain as it is going on today, under fire. He has an engaging style, well suited for this purpose. He describes vividly incidents he has seen, both homely and dramatic. The heroism of the Spanish people is extolled; with only enthusiasm and museum- piece musketry they are opposing the highly perfected German and Italian fighting implements. The intensely patriotic spirit that pervades is put across very powerfully. In the chapter entitled "The Burn- ing of the Churches," we have the first real attempt to explain and judge this much publicized aspect of the war. The analysis here present- ed is that, "They, whoever they are, burned the churches not because they did not believe in the symbols painted all over them, but because they did believe most terribly in them . .. '" "They" believed that the church provided a most powerful body of magic to be used by the landlords and rebels against the people, and that "they" had to de- stroy this great weapon which was trained on them. " And trained on them it was. The author quotes from "the New Cate- chism, as used until yesterday in all churches in Spain." QUESTION: What sin is commit- ted by those who vote liberal? "ANSWER: Usually, mortal sin." The author also presents accounts of how the Confessional was used for supplying information to the enemies of the people, how the churches were used for arsenals and fortresses against the people, and gives as ref- erence the A.B.C. of Cordova-that the Bishop of Pamplona had been Dk'orce Problem In Candid, TOGETHER AND APART, by Mar- garet Kennedy. Random House, New York. $2.50. By CATHERINE D. PURDOM Margaret Kennedy's new and al- I ready popular novel, Together and Apart, tells the story of an upper middle class English family and what changes a divorce brought to the lives of its members. Alec and Betsy Can- ning, a well-to-do, sophisticated couple nearing 40, love each other deeply, but their life together is brought to a close after a musical comedy of Alec's is produced and catches the popular fancy. His friends, his interests, his whole ex- istence are changed by this; his weak character, his propensity for light love affairs are brought out in sharp relief, and Betsy, his stubborn, conventional wife, refuses to accept his new life, although she loves him. They are divorced, and both marry again, realizing all the while that they can never truly forget each other, never find again the ecstasy they sometimes knew together. But although the plot of the novel revolves around these two, it is not really their story. Rather it is th'e story of their children and of their second mates; of Kenneth, their eldest son, who has inherited the worst qualities of both parents, weakness, moral cowardice, an emo- tionally unstable maketup; of Eliza, the humble, delightful daughter, who at 17 takes over the management of her father's new home with his new wife, of her devotion to Ken's ideal- istic and happy friend; of Joy, Alec's second and far from satisfactory wife,who loves him to the exclusion of everything else, an "exigeante doormat"; and of the pitiful little millionaire, Lord St. Mullins, who manages to marry Betsy, a man whose "eager soul could never es- cape from a body which had neither strength nor dignity." It is their story because they have all been hurt in one way or another by the divorce because they are pathetic and ap- pealing, because they do not under- stand.. A novel of Miss Kennedy's could not be discussed without comparing it to her first successful novel, The granting indulgences to anyone who kills a Marxist. In consideration of all this, and 'the further fact that no Protestant churches have been interfered with, the author's conclusion is found in the mouth of one of the Spanish Loy- alists: "We have no quarrel against the Free Cults because they haven't fought against us. We have destroyed the people who tried to destroy us, that's all." The concluding chapter is entitled "What It Means to Us." The political aspects of the war are summarized. The fact that at the beginning of the conflict there was not a single an- archist, syndicalist, or Communist in the government is restated; so is the act that the Spanish government was democratically elected in accord- ance with the Spanish constitution. It is again emphasized that the fas- cist international has continually given aid to the rebels, and the au- thor reiterates his condemnation of the non-intervention farce. This last chapter is of the nature of an appdal to non-fascists everywhere, and an accusing polemic against the British government, charging that "Abyssinia and then Spain seem to be ample evidence that we as a na- tion are being sold into fascist cap- tivity." The volume contains a large fold- ing map of Spain, which gives the results of the February elections, and contains a number of photographs, 'taken at the front, including one of the Alcazar during the seige. Behind the Spanish Barricades is a well written book, and an informative one. It should be read by everyone who' is interested in getting the most com- plete account available of the mo- mentous events which have convulsed Spain, and shaken the rest of the world. s Discussed A S peaingstory New Issue Of Student Liberal Magazine Constant Nymph. Together and Outstanding Aart, having the same theme asT The Constant Nymph, family life and To ge3terith the i growt of divorce, is in most respects a bet- the American Student nion since its ter novel, far more brilliant, polished, inception at the end of 1935 has pro- and finished than the first book. Yet gressed the steady development of its though it is beautifully written, it official publication, The Student Ad- lacks the wistfulness, the haunting vocate, until with the current issue quality, the freshness that made the the latter assumes a place among the older book what it was. Together and foremost liberal organs of the coun- Apart, despite its author's more ma- try. The surprising vitality of this ture and excellently handled style, issue attests to the success achieved is not as moving as her other books. by the editors in their attempt to give Something, a certain spontaneity American university students an ar- perhaps, is missing. ticulate and well-balanced vehicle of truthful information and intelligent But this is not to say that it is not leadership. an exceedingly good novel, for it is. The feature article is a letter from Miss Kennedy has turned what David Cook, former Columbia student threatens to be a trite and much too lying wounded in a Madrid hospital, frequently used theme into some- describing some of his experiences thing interesting, exciting, and some- with the International Brigade before times almost breathtaking. This is going into the battle line. The au- due, in part, to her particularly fine thor's keen sense of observation characterizations, charaterizations makes what might be a rather rou- which reveal her keen insight and tine account a vivid series of pictures; extensive knowledge of human na- the Barcelona mothers taking their ture. This is to be seen vividly in babies' fists out of their mouths to the delineation of Betsy's character, raise them in the Communist salute, Betsy who needs love, above all and the women workers in the win- things, to be told what to do, to be dows of the Martini-Rossi Vermouth mastered, and who turns into an am- factory stretching their arms forth bitious and spiteful termagant be- in the same gesture are examples of cause her first husband was too lazy the incongruities of 1937 Spain which to exert himself enough to guide her have struck the writer's sense of hu.- actions with a stern hand, and be- mor and irony. The "Robert Burns cause her second husband worships night" held by the battalion in the her as from afar and is too self-ef- safe of the Republican club affords facing to regard himself in the light a most interesting glimpse of the of a lord and master. Eliza, too, essentially idealistic spirit of men stands out as a remarkable charac- fighting for freedom in a foreign terization. It is a pity that she does country. .reeAnother letter, of a somewhat dif- not appeamorofkenble r snHe ibferent nature, is the contribution of fthe o t ik seabwhro ag heenHeywood Broun. He calls it "a letter the book. It is she who, at the end which might be written by some mid- fe te enovel, makes us fee adespte I de-aged man to a younger one," but threateementsofredythatanyhve, it is in fact one which all too few threatened to wreck so many lives, middle-aged men would be likely to that have partially ruined at least' write. In it the author expounds two, that life is, in its own strange in the form of advice to college stu- way, eminently good and satisfying. dents the militant liberal philosophy Aside from its literary value be- cause of its consistently maintained - high standards of workmanship, To- gether and Apart is notable be- cause it has presented rather more successfully than most novels con- cerned with the subject the effect of a divorce on the "other people" con- "Fa r PiCes" cerned; of the second husband, the second wife, who must constantly be aiming at a standard set by other and often more compelling personali- ties; and particularly of the child who loves both parents, but must make a choice between them, an ir- revocable choice, for all time. Miss Kennedy's novel is not, and could not be called great, is not even what is called a memorable novel. Rather does it fall into the ranks of the better-than-average novel, the readable novel, the good novel which has come to be the backbone of our modern literature. IDRAMA (Continued from P1ge 4) same author's more famous and re- cently revived The Country Wife. Lacking the venom of the latter piece, it dashes along brilliantly with lots of plot, action, farcical lines and situation. It is, I suppose, "typically Restoration" but has more energy than one -erroneously-associates with these plays. It will be played by the actors and actresses of Nell Gwynn's Company for one night only at the Theatre in Ingalls Street. MICHIGRAS HAD IT! DELICIOUS Ii PURITY ICE CREAM WIKE L DRUG CO. We Deliver Phone 3494 TYPEWRITING MIMEOGRAPH ING Promptly and neatly done by experi- enced operators at moderate prices. 0. D. MORRILL 314 South State Street whose brilliantly forceful exposition has made its author one of the most powerful literary personalities in America. Heywood Broun is almost unique among left-wing writers for his notable disuse of the phraseology, often over-complex and cumbersome, which has become the jargon of pro- fessional liberalism. "I'm not pulling that old prize fight manager stuff of 'They can't hurt us,' he says in closing his exhortation. "They can 'hurt us like hell. But they can't budget; James Lee Johnson, a Negro, ten, particularly that on the Pres- accuses the Naval Academy, in a ident's Supreme Court plan. pretty well substantiated indictment, The Advocate appears to be filling of railroading him from Annapolis, a long-standing gap in the American and Dr. Marie Warner continues her educational system by providing stu- series on sex education. dents with info'mation and guidance The editorials in the present issue in social and political trends to, help are well-conceived and clearly writ- counteract rightist propaganda. I lick you if you and your crowd wil] only stick together. I think I hear the bell. Come up smiling, kid, and come up swinging both fists." "Valedictory," a scene from a new play by Robert Rice and James Wech- sler, is perhaps less subtle than might be wished, but constitutes reasonably skillful propaganda against condi- tions on college campuses which make possible some of the unsavory in- cidents which have occurred at times as a result of reactionary tendencies on the part of authorities coming in contact with progressive student movements. Specifically, it is direct- ed against compulsory R.O.T.C., that relic of war-time heroics still flour- ishing at so many middle western in- stitutions of higher education. More refreshing is a page devoted to the revealing irony of an episode. that took place a few years ago in New York. In February of 1917 Morrie Ryskind, editor of the Colum- bia Jester, was removed for denounc- ing the chauvinism of President Nicholas Butler and Dean Talcott Williams of the School of Journalism in an editorial reprinted here. Sev- enteen dears later at a dinner pre- sided over by President Butler, Rys- kind was awarded a Pulitzer prize as co-author of the successful comedy, "Of Thee I Sing," an award made annually by the Columbia School of Journalism. In other articles, Miriam Millman puzzles over "The Strange Death of Walter Lippmann," apostate angel of American student liberalism and one-time presidenttof theHarvard Socialist Club; Nathan Kleban tells the story of the "retrenchment" of Sari Antonio Junior College under the leadership of a reactionary Board president intent on balancing the r1 N? ,~ A e~'c -,, / 9 f . O~ ' Cs, , L , ri ' be s a ,e © d ' HEADQUARTERS for MICHIGRAS PICTURES L r~ww~~r . i MIMEOGRAPH THE MODERN METHOD OF DUPLICATING Hundreds of thousands of organizations and individuals all over the world make and save money by using The Mimeograph Process. So can you. 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