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Since Premier Benito Mussolini is an omnivorous newspaper reader, French journalism was thus last week doing the Spanish Leftists the worst possible disservice, for this week II Duce was able to hurl at the French Popular Front Cabinet of Léon Blum threats that unless France stop such shipments of munitions, Italy will take measures of intervention far beyond any she has yet taken. Declared Informazione Diplomatica, the most highly authoritative newsorgan controlled by the Italian Government: "Such intervention would have unpredictable and certainly very grave repercussions and might compromise peace on the European Continent."
Since Lord Perth, the British Ambassador in Rome, was conferring almost daily last week on the most amicable terms with Italian Foreign Minister Count Ciano, II Duce's son-in-law, and since at Moscow the Stalin regime chose last week not to make counter threats which might have given Italy and Germany pause, the dominant factor in Spain's civil war was not to be found this week in Aragon, in Catalonia or in Valencia, but in France. The army, navy and air force of the French Republic are among the most powerful in Europe, but was it certain that French Premier Leon Blum, although he heads a Popular Front Cabinet, wants France to fight on such an issue?
Last Chapter? In Spain this week the U. S. diplomatic mission at Barcelona was packing up to withdraw toward France. The main force of some 60,000 Spanish Rightists under General Juan Yague, advancing toward Lérida, "the Key to Barcelona," found themselves briefly balked at the Cinca River. The People's Army had blown up all bridges for 50 miles along the Cinca to cover their retreat. Wading chest deep through the icy waters, the 60,000 Rightists crossed at Fraga, which had just been reduced to shambles by 160 Rightist bombers. Pontoon bridges were then flung over the Cinca, the motorized units roared across, resumed their role as the steel spearhead of the 60,000.
In Barcelona, less than 100 miles away, to the microphone leaped Premier Dr. Juan Negrin, exhorting all Leftist Spain to "join our valiant stand against the barbaric invasion directed by the hangmen of Europe!"
General Franco was quoted: "This is the last chapter of the civil war."
The Barcelona spokesman cracked back that General Franco is sticking his neck out to the Mediterranean between Catalan and Valencian armies which will close in on his flanks and crush the Rightists. "Never in history has a general offered his enemy such an opportunity."