Yet it was a most cruel thing to do, to suffocate people in the 
tunnel while two of the thirteen stretcher cases were in a 
serious condition!

Finally, at a quarter to six, representatives of the Com-
mittee in charge came to the train and asked everyone to get 
off. We lined up at the exit of the tunel, first, the stretcher 
cases, then those on crutches, then all the others, headed by a 
group of fifty Frenchmen. In front of us we saw some thirty 
French gendarmes with guns in their hands, facing us. The 
spokesman of the Committee explained that he had on him the 
permission of the French Government for this train to enter 
France. Some reactionary official apparently tried to create 
difficulties. After four-and-a-half hours of suffocating in the 
tunnel, waiting, hungry, we decided to march into France. The 
head of our committee appealed to the boys to observe strict 
discipline, to yield to no provocations, and to enter France in 
an orderly fashion. He concluded by saying "Let those shoot 
who dare! The best sons of France and the best fighters for 
peace and democracy also fight in Spain to defend the South 
of France from its fascist enemies." This demonstration, last-
ing three minutes brought results. The French authorities 
asked the men to get back into the train. The engine whistle 
blew, and the train pulled into Cerbere, on the French side.

We Remember . . .

THE next day, in Paris, we learned of the offensive started 
by the Republican army on the Ebro river. In nine days, 
the Republicans were able to take 500 square miles of territory, 
over six thousand prisoners, of whom four thousand were 
Italian, a large supply of ammunition and food. Franco ad-
mitted that the success of the Republican army was due to the 
support which it received from the civilian population. This 
was additional proof as to which side the civilian population of 
Spain is on. What the Republican army had taken in nine 
days, Franco's troops had not been able to regain in two months 
of fighting.

After twenty days in Paris, seven of the boys sailed for 

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