Orwell had been determined to leave the POUM, and confesses here that he "would have liked to join the Anarchists," but instead sought a recommendation to join the International Column, so that he could go to the Madrid front.
Orwell har besluttet sig til at forlade POUM og indrømmer her, at han ville "have foretrukket at slutte mig til anarkisterne", men i stedet forsøger han at slutte sig til de kommunistiske Internationale Brigader, så han kumme komme til Madrid-fronten.