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      democractically elected government was attacked in a heavy military onslaught by the mutinous General Francisco Franco, in collusion with invading Germany and Italian armies : employing especially their air force to strafe civilians; and their navies to bring in arms. The rest of Europe, meanthile, including England and France, lifted not a finger to intervene.
      Canadian s reacted to these events with varying degrees of understanding. The Canadian Forum was the first to publish poetry which expressed frustration and anger. Poets of stature like E.J. Pratt, F.R. Scott and
      
      professor Louis Mackay largely turned to satire to express their feelings. Of these poems Mackay's were the most terse and stringent:
      THREE SNARLS of a Disgusted Colonial
      I.
      Freedom, in Spain, exhaled a groan. Her champion, England, scribbling notes, Refused as yet to throw a stone, And only held the stoners' coats.
      II.
      O Ananias! what a waste! Iscariot too! such gifts misplaced! For, living now, you'd both be set  To shine in Britain's cabinet.
      III.
      Let Britain's leaders, if they choose,
      
      Be cushions for Benito's hips,
      And lick the heels of Adolf's shoes:
      But damn them! must they smack their lips?
      
        
      
      Tha poem expresses one of the three themes most current in artist's immediate response to the Spanish civil war: that of disgust with non-intervention by the western powers, by Britain and France paritnclarly whoestablished a policy of "neutralism" and embargo againstThe Loyalists. Another theme is that of the betrayal of Christianity, it was voiced qxxxin no uncertain terms by the Catholic novelist, Morley Callaghan:
      It seems to me that those who have tried to make the Cxxxxxxxs rebel cause the Christian cause have no shame. All those who are heart and soul with the rebels have made a clear