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Orator Largo Caballero, addressing Spaniards who packjammed the largest auditorium in Madrid, the Teatro Par-dinas, and simultaneously talking through loudspeakers to audiences which pack-jammed three other theatres, declared:
"You all know that there was a work-ing-class movement abroad favorable to us; that as a matter of fact this movement later on diminished through no fault of ours but because of political errors which were committed in Spain. Shortly after the crisis, there came a time when beyond the borders rumors began to circulate to the effect that there was being carried on here a policy of persecution against elements in disagreement. This has spread, comrades, so far that representatives of the Internationals have come to Spain to find out exactly how much truth there was in it, and they have told us personally: 'Since this has occurred, we cannot arouse the same enthusiasm abroad, among our own comrades, because they suspect that those who dominate here and those who have influence are—they say so openly— the Communist elements, and everyone wonders if Spain is to be aided so that afterwards the Communists may guide the destinies of Spain.' They have come to ask us this! And let it not surprise you, because one of the things which I objected to was the series of excesses which, in my judgment, are being committed; for example, that there should be military leaders of great importance who were always present in Communist Congresses and parades in honor of Communists. Photographs were taken of all that and were published in the newspapers, and these newspapers went to London, to Paris, to other capitals, and when they saw there that the leaders of the army, in large numbers and with great influence, were present at these meetings, they said: 'Then it is true that it is Communism which is most dominant and has greatest influence!' This was harmful to our cause, very harmful."
Socialist Largo Caballero, reaffirming his own enthusiasm for subjecting all Spain to a complete social revolution, accused the Communists of Leftist Spain of wavering toward compromise with the middle classes and betrayal of the revolution— these being the offenses of which Trotsky incessantly accuses Stalin. "As for the unification of the Socialist Party and the Communist Party I have not changed my views," cried Revolutionist Largo Caballero, whose admirers have nicknamed him the "Spanish Lenin." "All that I ask is that those who once wanted to create this fusion still hold to the same purpose which we used to put forth, which was to bring about the fusion of the two parties with a revolutionary program! I well remember that when we used to speak about that, the Communist Party set as a condition that we break relationship with all bourgeois parties. Do they hold to that today? [Cries of "No! No!"] Do they insist today that we break with all bourgeois parties as they used to do? No, on the contrary. The slogan today is that we return once more to the period before July 18th.* And if the unification must be on the condition that all the blood which has been shed must serve to revive once more in our country that class which has been principally responsible for the war which we are now enduring, Largo Caballero is not for that system!"