June 10th, 1936
Litvinov Talks to Tampa - Stresses need for international cooperation
Davis Auditorium, University of Tampa - Yesterday evening the University had the pleasure of hosting diplomat M. Litvinov for a speaking engagement. Litvinov, one of the League of Nations, spoke to a half filled audience comprising both citizens of Tampa and interested students of the University. Litvinov stressed the need for international solidarity and cooperation through the
vehicle of the League, and expressed his conviction that such action could "definately and surely" halt continued Italian aggression in Africa. His speech met was given to a quiet atmosphere and was not particularly well received. Tampa citizen Jane Crowdall said she "liked that poor man Haley Selassai [sp]" but didn't want to see more invovlement overseas. Crowdall echoed the sentiments of many when she confessed she had come mainly to hear Professor Burden's speech on US trade, which followed immediately afterward and offered analysis of strong US-Japanese trade followed by a lively question and answer session about the direction of Tampa's economy.
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Tampa Tribune
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July 18th, 1935
Barcelona, Spain - 10:00 AM
The wooden door burst open and Robert Merriman rumbled in, eyeing the swarthy men sitting at Maurin's table with disapproval before turning to Joaquin. "You know Mola has order..." "Yes I do". Merriman stared at the impassive Spaniard, oblivious to his interruption. "Then you know what this means Joaquin. They mean to overthrow the government!" Garcia laughed. His foreign friend was so naive at times. "They mean to try. Do you think I have been sleeping here? My man will be back any moment."
Merriman
Merriman took off his glasses. Maurin noticed his rapid breathing, the unecessary wiping of his glasses. So. Merriman had seen the light as a thinker, just as he himself had. Journals, writing, theories. Maurin had not really been sure if he was a believer himself - not in the way that mattered. But he had surprised himself today. His father's colt sat on the table, glistening. Maurin had been busy, busy talking and planning, but he had not neglected other matters. Merriman noticed that too. The foreignor swallowed. This was not his war. Unless he made it his war.
Merriman looked around the room again - slowly, taking in the none too clean white plaster, its dingness covered by newspapers, journal clippings, words. Then he looked at the four men dressed in dingy worn pants and loose fitting shirts. And at Maurin. "Then it is time...comrades. I may not be of you (he surely had not spent 12 hours each day lifting cargo, as these men had) - but I am with you. This is our chance - the Worker's Party's chance. The army is taking up positions - the reactionaries and General Mola- they have tried the plight of a desperate man. They will try to crush our spirit by force. This is impossible - friends (he looked at Maurin) - the revolution has come. It is time for us to take what is ours. The Popular Front must not be betrayed!"
Merriman paused. "I have brought no weapon." One of the men rose, grabbing a rusted pistol from his pocket. He handed it to the American, dumping 5 cartridges into his shaking hand. He grabbed it like a vice and shook it. Maurin grinned. He rose and embraced Merriman. "Comrade, you speak well. We will not fail."
The door opened halfway and a nondescript Spaniard poked his head in, nodding quickly to Maurin before running off. Maurin turned to the waiting workers. "It is time. We move." They rushed off. Maurin gathered his pistol, nodded to Merriman to follow, and left his house. The alleys were eerily quiet - men sometimes passed them, but with hardly a glance. They passed a poster - Merriman stopped to spit - but Maurin grabbed him. "Robert! this is not the time." Merriman stared at Maurin again, with wild eyes. Maurin continued walking, talking softly.
An anarchist propoganda poster. Anarchist unions were strong in Barcelona, and were identified with Catalan independence movements.
"POEM is as ready as we can be. I have ordered our stores of government rifles distributed - farseeing of Azana to take such a course. Our President now relies on all of us to keep our republic alive. ALL of us - anarchists, socialists, even Stalinist communists."
Merriman spat. "Those others are all fools. Stalin cares nothing for Spain. We are the only true heirs to Trotsky's true communism. And the anarchists..."
Maurin chuckled softly. "That is for another day my friend. We have but a few thousand men in our ranks, and here in Catalonia is where we are strongest. I hate the thought of collaborating with those crazed anarchists, but we need them - FAI, CNT, all of them. We must fight THEM Robert, not ourselves. Once the war is won, then the peace will follow."
Merriman was silent. A few long moments passed. "Yes. Your way is the only one. Too few see the light. So what now?"
Maurin grimaced slightly. "I have been in discussions with Luis Companys of the CNT. We have arranged to move in concert with the Anarchists. Many of the soilders are loyal to General Mola and Franco, but not all. With our combined strength they will be gone from the streets of Barcelona."
He turned right, then left, arriving at the backdoor of a warehouse - one at the end of Barcelona's main street. Men were gathered there - carrying old rifles, pistols, more often with clubs or hammers. Soon they were moving into the street - more emerged from an alley to their left. Maurin walked at their front, at his side Merriman and two large men. Unseen eyes watched, hidden behind closed doors and windows. The mob marched, silently. A platoon of young soilders guarded the next interesection as the group approached. What happened next went too fast for anyone to comprehend. Shouts of stop mingled with cries of "Catalonia!" and "Long live the republic!". A nervous soilder switched his weapon to face Maurin, too quickly. Shots rang out, and he fell, and the crowd roared. Merriman stared in amazement at his shaking hand, and the two red spots slowly sprouting in the dead man's chest. A voiceless howl shrieked around him, and everwhere Spaniards surged foreward. Barcelona echoed with the sounds of desperation and struggle.
.....
July 20th, 1936
Washington, D.C. - Oval Office
"...and the Republicans are trying to establish you as anti-business and excessively pro-labor. They'll have a hard time of it - Kaiser has been too visible of a figure with ties to business for that charge to really stick, and his economic plan has given our businesses lots of low interest loans as well. I see this as evidence that their grasping for straws, Mr. President. Your popular with Americans and their trying to discredit you instead of focusing on their solutions - because they don't have anything new. I'm very confident about our administrations' chances this fall."
Roosevelt: "Thanks James. Ah I see Cordell and Jaime have arrived - if you would excuse us a moment? I look forward to discussing our election strategy further at dinner tonight."
James Aylward: "Of course." He gets up and leaves the room.
Cordell Hull: "Mr. President we've gotten more information from our ambassador in Spain about the situation there. Jaime has brought in a map to outline developments as well."
"Sir the situation in Spain has been unstable recently. Spain has the largest number of Anarchist organizations of any country, along with sizeable communist and socialist factions. The army and church also play important roles."
"Ever since the Spanish Parliament forced Zamora to resign and allowed the ascension of Azana, the situation has been uneasy - his Popular Front government is a a very tenous left leaning administration, and survives on a coalition of widely differing leftist interests. Evidently senior army officials - Generals Mola and Franco appear to have lead this - decided it was time to 'restore order' in their words. Perhaps they want to restore the monarcy, or install a facist government. At any rate, two days ago they tried to launch an army coup."
Roosevelt: "And? If fighting is still going on they must have failed in Madrid."
Hull: "Yes. Their coup failed in a large part of the country - many units stayed loyal to the Republic. Jaime?"
"As you can see on the map, Barcelona is the sight of an ongoing battle between Franco's army units and armed civilians. It appears the civilians may have the upper hand but we can't be sure for now. The new 'Nationalist' government's coup has succeded in the northwest and southwest of Spain, although not in Seville. Very importantly, the well trained and equipped troops in Africa at Ceuta have stayed loyal - and the Republican forces maintain the services of the majority of their fleet, including all their battleships and transports. They have the initial edge if they can move quickly."
"I've directed Undersecretary of State Phillips to issue a message to our diplomats affirming our neutrality. That's something we can discuss further, sir. However, I - and Jaime - have heard indications that other countries may not follow our lead. Britain and France have proclaimed their neutrality, but Germany and Italy have promised to intervene on the side of the nationalists. Given time, their contribution could have a sizeable impact on the war's outcome. The Soviet Union has also offered assistance to the Republicans - although they are rather farther away from Spain than Italy and Germany. At any rate, such assistance in equipment terms will take at least a full month to arrive."
Roosevelt: "Ugh, what a situation. So we have an army revolt supported by facist governments, and a coalition of anarchists and communists supported by the Soviet Union. Even if I were inclined to have us assist one side - and I'm not, this is primarily a European issue - then doing so would entail serious political consequences."
Hull: "I completely agree. As it is, this war promises to have widespread coverage - many journalists are leaving for there as we speak. Best to watch the situation for now. Whichever side wins, this doesn't bode well for international stability - and the League will look even more impotent unfortunatedly. Britain and France have declared that all member states shall be neutral, but it looks like they won't do anything to enforce that on Italy or Germany, or try to reproach the Soviet Union."
Roosevelt: "Worrisome indeed."
. All comments, constructive or otherwise, are of course welcome! 
