Interesting things happen in a
small town. People get to know
who you are, your background.
In-variably, when I hit town to
pick up my newspaper, voices
call out: "Hey, Maury, Franco's
almost dead!!" My friends have
been made aware that great
changes are taking place in Spain
today. when the executions were
announced I received many calls:
"What can be done?" Somehow
a few individuals decided on
applying direct pressure to Iberia
Air Lines. Using a free telephone
line, they asked Iberia for the next
schedule of executions. They
claimed to be "execution freaks"
and wanted to make reservations
accordingly. They felt that this
form of protest would be reported
back to Spain, and they might
have been right. When I was in
New York a few weeks ago I also
called Iberia Air Lines with the
same approach. The person on the
other end exclaimed: "Oh no!
What's going on?" So this weird
protest was working.
I also got some key personali-
ties to write directly to our local
Congressman Matt McHugh.
They urged him to vote against
funding the U.S.-Spanish base
agreement. They urged him to
oppose squandering millions of
our tax dollars in another last
ditch effort to prop up another
unpopular fascist regime. On that
basis all kinds of people of the
political spectrum could react to
this issue - and they did. We are
now in the process of organizing
a delegation - a local
councilwoman, a screen-writer, a
businessman and artists who will
pin him down to opposing the
Madrid Pact. A great opportunity
exists now that the State
Department has agreed to present
the issue to Congress. We can
really lobby against it on a local
level. Our legislators are really
sensitive and pay lots of attention
to grass roots expression.
Salud, MAURY COLOW
REQUIRED
READING
ON SPAIN
"The fact that... American-backed
Spanish tyranny is 'an internal
matter' for Madrid and no concern
of Washington, is a car~ fully
nurtured illusion that has now
been destroyed. Doing just that
was the task last June of a
Washington conference, 'Spain -
Implications for U.S. Foreign
Policy.' A transcript of the
meeting has just been published."
That is how the Nation of Oct.
11, began its editorial on Spain.
The VALB ordered 400 of the
transcripts but only 150 were
delivered because the demand ex-
ceeded the small supply.
Now, a publisher "Greylock,"
which specializes in academia, is
bringing out a soft and hard cover
edition simultaneously. The soft
cover edition will sell for $2.95.
It contains not only a transcript of
the conference, but a position
paper on Spain written by Prof.
Will Watson.
Participating in the conference
were many academic experts such
as Bob Colodny (VALB), Gabriel
Jackson, Will Watson, Casals and
others. Bruce Laingen, Deputy
Under-secretary of State respon-
sible for Western Europe,
represented the State Department.
Three delegates were present
from the Junta Democratica de
Espana. Congressman Maguire of
New Jersey chaired the con-
ference and Ambassador
Pedersen moderated. Twenty-five
Representatives and 15 Senators
sponsored the conference.
Since it took place, the "Trans-
cript" has become a "hot" paper
around Washington. Everyone
wants it. Copies have been sent to
a few of the news media and were
quoted from or copied
extensively.
Together with the Landis book,
"Unfinished Revolution," these
two constitute an indispensable
library on Spain.
NEW RELEASES
(All in Paperback)
"Spain - Implications for
United States Foreign Policy"
@ $2.95. See review above.
"Spain - The Unfinished
Revolution" - Arthur Landis ~
$2.95. An historical must.
"Spain Again" - Alvah Bessie
@$5.00. Bessie Returns.
"Men in Battle" - Alvah Bessie
@$6.00. Re-issued classic.
Both Bessie books - $10.50.
Send me the indicated books:
Name:__________________
Add: ___________________
________________________
Amount enclosed: $ _______
Make checks payable to:
VALB or Hy Wallach
Room 239,799 Broadway
New York, N.Y. 10003
"The Spanish people will
have the last word"
-"Tziki"
(one of the five executed by Franco Sept. 27,
1975, in his last statement).
Colow writes from Woodstock
