A GOOD NAME
The Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln
Brigade have one of the most honored and
respected names in the whole progressive
movement of America. It's a name that we
vets are proud of, too. But unfortunately
some of us aren't acting in such a way as
to live up to the name and reputation of the
organization, but in such a way as to
tarnish it.
Every veteran knows of one or another
little incident, not large in itself, but just
enough to make anyone who observe it
feel thereafter that the Veterans were not
of quite as high calibre as he had thought.
The incidents are often pretty harmless --
some one crashes the gate at a party, for
example. No one's going to get thrown in
the jug for that. But sooner or later we'll
hear people remarking -- if such things
become commonplace -- that the vets are
always trying to go the cuff, they never
want to pay their way, they demand
privileges.
By doing such things we injure our
friends and give comfort to our enemies. If
our good name suffers, the whole
progressive movement suffers, because we
are some of its best-known members. And
moreover, a party that a vet crashes is not
usually outside of the progressive
movement. (We don't think anyone should
be criticized for crashing a Rockefeller
debut.) And that means there is that much
less money to send to China, or for
whatever cause the party was given.
They way to stop this is for the Vets
themselves to take it in hand. If we see
such an incident we should straighten it
out as well as possible, apologize if
apology is necessary, and explain to
the offending Vet just what he's done
wrong. Such a policy, if adopted by all
veterans, will defend and brighten our
good name.
IN FRANCO'S SPAIN
Just as progressives predicted, the
Franco regime in Spain is now split into a
number of factions that are bitterly
fighting among themselves. Franco
himself, and his brother-in-law, Ramon
Serrano Suner, appear to be sticking closer
and closer to the Rome-Berlin axis. The
Carlists and other monarchists, with the
support of many of the old-time military
officers, are opposed to foreign influence,
in the country and are trying to get rid of
it. Probably they are working with the
British capitalists who want to get back
their big mining and manufacturing
concessions and reestablish their
influence. They include General Queipo de
Llano, the drunken radio orator, General
Juan Yague and General Miguel Aranda.
De Llano and Yague have been removed
from their posts, and it is said that De
Llano will be sent to South America as an
ambassador to get him out of the way.
Meanwhile,
Republicans
are
being
executed on a mass scale. Fascist
Newspapers boast of standing 58 men and
4 women before the firing squad over one
week-end.
We know who these people now being
murdered are. Some of them, undoubtedly,
are known to us personally. They were the
finest people we have ever known. And
because they continue to fight for
Democracy and the Independence of
Spain, Franco at the orders of Hitler and
Mussolini is shooting them.
To murderer Franco we say: We too, just
as those true Spaniards you are murdering
shall continue our struggle against
Fascism, and for Democracy until Fascism
is destroyed in Spain.
With these fine Heroic Spanish
Comrades facing the firing squads, we
shout "VIVA LA REPUBLICA
ESPANOLA."
- - - - - * - - - - -
1 ( : 6
CLEVELAND
Nine Cleveland veterans are operating a
dry cleaning and repair service -- "Co-
operative Cleaners, Inc." -- at 13004
Kinsman Road. Several of them are
partially disabled, and this is giving them a
swell chance to get along. We hope to get
a fuller report of their activities later, but
all we know now is that they think they'll
pull through the summer all okay.
The slogan is "Where Family Price and
Quality Workmanship Meet."
MIDWEST
The Chicago Post is holding a Midwest
Reunion and Celebration at Camp Lincoln
on August 5th. Delegates are expected
from St. Louis, Detroit, Milwaukee,
Minneapolis and Cleveland.
After the celebration the reunion will
become a conference on the problems of
both the Veterans and their Friends.
- - - - - * - - - - -
THE VOLUNTEER
FOR LIBERTY
Vol. 1, No. 4 August 7, 1939
The organ of the Veterans of
the Abraham Lincoln Brigade.
National Headquarters, 55 W.,
42nd Street, New York City
