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 popu-
lation 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 home. A feeling of anxiety prevailed among us, 
not only to see our friends again, but to relay to the 
people of Canada the truth and nothing but the truth 
about Spain. We remembered the anti-fascist fighters 
from over fifty-four countries. We remembered the 
Spanish soldiers, self-sacrificing and courageous, fight-
ing for the independence of their country and at the 
same time for the cause of all humanity. We remem-
bered the Canadian boys fighting in the Mackenzie-
Papineau Battalion, holding high the banner of de-
mocracy planted by Mackenzie and Papineau in Canada 
over one hundred years ago.

These memories increased our eagerness to meet 
the widest sections of the Canadian people, to tell 
them the story of this heroic fight in Spain and to rally them 
to the support of the Spanish people to cut short the 
sufferings, the horrors and the ruin that German and 
Italian fascism is inflicting upon the peace-loving peo-
ple of Spain.

We bring with us, the unshakable confidence of vic-
tory of the Spanish people over the invading hordes of 
Hitler and Mussolini. Premier Dr. Negrin in one of 
his speeches to the Spanish nation said "Somos mas 
que ellos," ("We are more numerous than they are.")

Reaction and fascism can and will be defeated. 
Unitedly we will achieve it. By our numbers in Can-
ada and throughout the world, in one unity, there is 
the strength, the guarantee that democracy shall not 
perish from the earth and that peace shall conquer.

* * * * *

14