852.00/7697: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in Spain (Thurston) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:15 p.m.]
932. The expected reorganization of the Government was effected last night. The new “Government of National Union” is constituted as follows:
President of Council of Ministers and Minister of National Defense, Juan Negrín Lopez—Socialist; Minister of State, Julio Alvarez del Vayo—Socialist; Interior, Paulino Gomez Saiz—Socialist; Justice, Ramon Gonzales Pena—UGT; Agriculture, Vicente Uribe—Communist; Public Instruction and Health, Segundo Blanco Gonzales—CNT; Finance and Economy, Francisco Mendez Aspe—Left Republican; Public Works, Antonio Velao Onate—Left Republican; Communications and Transport, Bernardo Giner de los Rios—Union Republican; Labor, Jaime Aguade—Catalan Left Republican; Ministers without portfolio, Jose Giral—Left Republican, and Manuel de Irujo—Basque Nationalist.
A statement has been made by the new government “proclaiming its absolute decision to continue the war for the independence of Spain until it is freed from the presence of those who have attacked and invaded it with the most monstrous international complicity that has ever existed”. The statement refers to the fighting spirit of the armies in the south and the east to the support of Catalonia and to the fact that the new Government has granted powers to Negrín to apply sanctions against “traitors and cowards”. It also refers to a note addressed to the British and French governments (a copy of which I shall endeavor to obtain) and concludes with the assertion that the Government of the Republic “from this moment becomes a Government of war”.
While this development again turns the Government to the left it presumably strengthens it politically for the supreme effort to prosecute the war it seems determined to make by resting it solidly upon the entire Popular Front.
Barcelona remains outwardly calm despite defective light and power services assumed to result from loss to rebels of inland power plants. Uneasiness continues, however, and I have apparently reliable information to the effect that should the war be lost the Anarcho Syndicalists contemplate the liquidation of class enemies and perhaps destruction in Barcelona.
The British ships Hood and Repulse have visited Barcelona separately within the last few days and I am informed that a ship will soon be stationed off Caldestas.