REBEL VICTORY PREDICTED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22424, 10 June 1938, Page 13

REBEL VICTORY PREDICTED

Gains on Castellon Front tighter grip on l mediterranean Loyalist Resistance Grumbles (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Received June 9, 11.30 p.m.) v SALAMANCA. June 9. ' ■ Evidence is accumulating that the Republican resistance is crumbling on the Teruel-Castellon front. The insurgents are inflicting heavy losses and are advancing rapidly toward Castellon,. capturing large quantities of war materials and numerous prisoners. Large parties are left to bury the hundreds of 'Republican dead as the rebels sweep forward. The prospect of tightening the grip on ■ the Mediterranean coastline has greatly improved since the capture of Adzaneta, 15 miles from Castellon. By this success the rebels have acquired an excellent network of communications.

They are now hammering at Villa Fames, 10 miles from Castellon, which is the Republican headquarters.

Scores of insurgent aeroplanes are operating, the Loyalists losing 11 machines yesterday.

Ten Spanish officers have arrived in. Berlin to urge further help to fipish off the Republican resistance. A message from Gibraltar says three armoured merchantmen brought further contingents to Algeciras from Ceuta.

; In spite of the insurgents’ success, the Hendaye correspondent of “The Times” says the prospects of a long struggle have increased. The Prime Minister (Senor Juan Negrin) promptly took advantage of the respite offered by the halt on the Ebro, and the Republicans are now disputing every mile. They are counter-attacking, and though defeated and out-manoeuvred on the field, .and suffering fearful punishment through their rearguard being bombed, this has failed to produce a collapse. Even the abandonment of nonintervention would not hasten the end of the war. The Spaniards temperamentally are more inclined to fight it out, than to compromise, as in previous Spanish civil wars. • Both sides have been working out social reforms during the hostilities. However, their new organisations offer no hope of co-operation, although it is inevitable that the Spaniards some day will have to live together again. RAPID ADVANCE BY REBELS SUCCESSES ON CASTELLON FRONT LONDON, June 8. ’ A message from Saragossa states lhat after a whirlwind drive along a 25-mile front, the insurgents, who I are scarcely 15 miles from Castellon, advanced more than five miles in 24 •hours. • A large number of Loyalists are 'reported to be trapped with their backs to the sea. General Franco’s headquarters vigorously deny the Gibraltar rumours of unrest, which are attributed to Red propaganda. It is also denied that General de Llano is if disgrace. PAPAL PROTEST TO FRANCO BOMBING OF OPEN CITIES REGRETTED {Received June 9, 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 9. It is reliably stated the Pope has Instructed Cardinal Pacelli (Papal Secretary of State) to send a message to General Franco regretting the bombing of open cities and noncombatants, says the Vatican City correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” The Pope has taken this step apart from the British plans for an international protest because he does not wish it to be thought that he protested for political and not for humanitarian reasons.