Bombing and Building

Prof. J. B. s. Haldane, January 4th, 1937

, OMRADES and Friends: I am in Madrid to give advice on defence C against gas attacks. I want to tell you what things are like.“ II was last in Madrid thr.ee‘years ago, and it is as very different place today. It is a more orderly city.” Then I remember seeing a force of mounted police drawn up in case of rioting. Today, the people are in charge, and there is no disorder, or fear of disorder. Three years ago there were many beggars. Today there are none, unless you count girls collecting for the Red Cross.

Fascist Aeroplanes Getting Cautious , We are being bombarded. The fascists aeroplanes are much mor

cautious now, but a certain number of shells are fired into the city.

Come with me to a big streetthat is being shelled; imagine if you like, that shells are falling in Oxford, street, on Broadway. The street is crowded, men,«women and children are walking up and down it. People are selling things on the pavements.‘

The first shell hits a tall building. Does everyone run for shelter? No, they are much too proud. The pedestrians gather on the safe side of thestreet. A few people put their heads out of the windows to see what is happening.

Here comes the next she-ll. It bursts on the side of a house, and a couple of people in the street are killed. I feel I should like to make a” ‘dive forone of themany cellars which are labelled as refuges. But I can’t. lam for the moment a citizen of Madrid, and I have got to be as brave as the other citizens, women and children as well as men.

This shelling is singularly futile. I Itscan have no military-value. And it certainly isn’t demoralizing‘ the people of Madrid. They don’t

even take it seriously. « You mightthink that at least most people

would want to get away. But I don’t think many of them do. Here, perhaps, is what they feel: “I may be killed, but I’m goingto die some time anyway. And now I have a chance, such as comes to very’ few people, of taking part in one of the great eventsxin world history. I’m not going to leave Madrid. I’m not going to send my children away. I’m not even‘ going to interrupt my afternoon walk for a few fascist bombs.” » ° I I ‘ You may think they exaggerate a bit. I am not sure. Honour is worth dying for, and every citizen of il\/Ifidrid feels that he or she is willing to die for the honour of democracy. '

. Rebuilding a Nation ,

, What else is happening? I’m not going to talk about the actual fighting line. You read about that in the newspapers. But behindthe line something as important as the war is happening.

The people are taking over the land,the.transport, and the big industry. It is aslow business. -Thewhole fabric of society is being built up afresh. » V ,

Theworkers in a factory say: “This our factory’? and they run it themselves. Many of the big houses have been taken over by‘govern- xnent degartments, trade unions, and so on. And it is working.