HARSH MEASURES

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1933, Page 6

HARSH MEASURES

BRUTAL SPANISH ATROCITIES

Fry;MADRID,- April' 13. ... . opens to-day...in.. Spain, and. for the next week half of Madrid will daily parade the central streets in fancy costumes and the other half will be looking on. The frivolous, spirit of carnival will help to relieve the political strain on the Government produced by the debate in the Cortes 0 n the cruel repressive measures at the village of Casas Viejas, in Cadiz province, on •January 11. This affair resulted in 21 being killed. When the Cortes opened after the

Christmas recess, the question of Viejas was the first to be brought up. Senor' Azana, the Prime Minister, thought the matter had dropped when a majority supported him in refusing to appoint a Parliamentary Commission to investigate just what had happened. It was strange, said Spaniards representing political opinion ranging from ’the extreme Right to the extreme Loft, 1 that in a battle between police and peasants there should be 21 deaths with no wounded and no prisoners.

-Without the authority of the Govj eminent, a commissioner of deputies •cf various parties decided to go to Casas Viejas and ascertain for themselves the facts of the case, not being content with the official story. They returned last week and duly reopened the question in the Cortes, much t 0 the Government's discomfiture. Not since Senor Azana lias been in power has he shown such uneasiness. He lost liis usual serenity fer the first time. Armed with documentary evidence j the various deputies of the unauthor- { ised Parliamentary Commission informed the crowded Cortes in detail of what had taken plaec. It is a frightful story, and discloses one of the most brutal atrocities committed in Spain for many years. According to the commission 14 peasant-* of the total who died, were dragged from their homes and from their crying wives, mothers, and children, and without any trial at all shot like dogs.

It was all clone in half an horn*. Ibo police called at certain houses, pulled the men folk out, took them down the street and shot them. One man of 74 was shot at his own door. As the tragic, story was unfolded to the Cortes and published in the press, indignation spread to every corner of Spain. Late on Friday ni;dit at the end of a tumultuous session a motion of censure was put forward by the opposition parties, but a counter-pro-posal of confidence in the Government obtained 173 votes for the Government