This poem, written by my father Eugene V. Etler on the eve of World War 2 presciently foresees the consequences of the intransigence of the bourgeois democracies of his time in their refusal to fight the spectre of fascism then stalking Europe's corridors. By letting Spain succumb to Franco's fascist minions the fate of millions who would eventually die on the killing fields of Europe and Asia and in the ovens of Germany was sealed.
Tragically we are living in similar times. But the enemies of the world's people now reside in Washington D.C. and the capitals of supposedly democratic Europe rather than the axis capitals of Berlin, Rome and Tokyo. The US and its NATO henchmen have inherited the mantle of Hitler and Mussolini, Franco and Tojo.
So once again, 75 years later, the world's people must raise their voices in unison and shout ----
Stop it!
In the name of humanity
What is this all about?
The papers declaring
The papers, as if, gloating
Barcelona is falling
Barcelona has fallen.
What is this all about
Who is victorious
And who are the dead?
Franco's armies push on!
Who stands in the background?
Who saves Spain from its death?
Are we the people –
Reading
Of Hitler's joy
And Mussolini's threats?
Are we the people
Reading
France stands aside
England cautious – saves her hide.
In the name of humanity
What is this all about?
Are we but the readers of papers
The puppets pulled by the silent
wordings
Of scrupulous papers rejoicing
The downfall – the end of a country?
Why do we sit and shed the bitter
tears?
The unfinished sighs?
The collapse of all feeling
Reading and hearing
Spain is about to die.
In the name of humanity
What is this all about?
Millions are starving
Babes are crying
Send your money
Feed a mouth
Fill a stomach.
Is this the way
To stem the tide
Let your conscience ride?
Send a dollar
Push aside
The thought
My country betrayed me
It closed its eyes
To the betrayal
Of a sister country.
For the telegrams we did send
The demonstrations we did hold
The speeches spoken
The parades protesting
The boys who fought
All this –
Yes, the people spoke –
And our country ignored us –
Death, it said, to Democracy
We will not lift the embargo.
Oh, God, in the name of humanity
What is this all about?
The airways acclaiming
The victory march,
The ministers, of countries, reciting
The funeral march.
This is the end of three years battle
This is what we fought for
Overwhelming defeat
The devil made cry
Of people – Die!
This is the end of three years battle.
Democracies – look to your fate!
Rome, Berlin – have made it too late
For you to change your course.
France, England, America, accept your
fate.
Over the map of Europe
Will crawl the fingers of hate.
The Devil perched
War God
Destruction
Spain is Dead.
In the name of humanity
What is this all about?
If Spain is dead
Then long live Spain?
If Democracy is dying
Then let it die?
If the terror of fascism is coming
Then let it come?
If the dark ages are once more to be
with us –
Let them come?
If we are all to meet destruction's end
–
Let it meet us?
Crowded together?
For shelter?
Dying men?
This is what we have lived for?
Our parents of the past
Seeds of our living
This is what you have given birth to?
And planned for?
Cowardly men
Unfit to live
Morality uncrowned
Insanity crowned
Strutters of war
Demagogues of crime
Uplifted to a Godly halo
Long live our leaders
Death to the people.
In the name of humanity
What is this all about?
Has Spain met defeat?
Is this the end
Must we say farewell
Is Spain now Austria
Is Spain Czechoslovakia
Is it finished
Have the dead died in vain
Have we still time
To stem the tide?
Cry you voices of the people
Let the consciences of the world hear
you.
Spain must be saved!
The embargo must be lifted!
France to the fore!
England's lion roar!
Defeat of Chamberlain!
Down with Daladier!
Where is the people's front?
Sanctions against Germany
The same to Italy.
Together
Oh, God, yes
Together
Let it ring out
Let it be heard
One God almighty shout
The world together
You – the people of the world –
China
Spain
Italy
Japan
France
America
England
Germany
All you countries
North and South
East and West
Of Asia, Africa
Europe and America
Together
Cry it out
You must
You must
Stop Fascism
In the name of humanity
Stop it!
