GENERAL STRIKE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 237, 20 July 1936, Page 5

GENERAL STRIKE

ORDER ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT DESTROYERS SHELL BARRACKS. AN ENGLISHMAN WOUNDED. (United Press Association —Copyright.) (Received This Day, 9.30 a.m.) MADRID, July 19. The position generally is believed to bo as follows: The military rising in Morocco, whicn spread to many parts of Spain, has been generally overcome. Airmen bombed several towns where the garrisons rebelled, including Seville, Ceuta and Melilla. Five generals have been degraded. There was no rising in Madrid, but desultory shooting at Tangier. The rebels still hold key points at Tetuan, Melilla, Earache and Ceuta. The territory adjoining Tangier is all quiet a.t present. British refugees from laraclie say there has been severe fighting. The Government is using the weapon of a general strike to kill the insurrection. Orders have been broadcast to trade unions to strike in any aiea where Fascists have declared a state of war. As an instance the railway unions have ordered others “to join the pioletariat in the defence of the liberty of the Republic against criminal fascist subversion.” The Government announces that civil servants at Malaga, Seville and other centres are supporting the Government. A message from Barcelona says that Senor 'Louis Companys (President of the Government of Catalonia) was all night in a building which was attacked by rebels. A destroyer has arrived at Malaga to protect the narrow seas between Spain and Spanish Morocco, where foreign legionaries and Moorish troops still control many ports. A Gibraltar message states that the rebel troops are marching to Seville after disembarking at Cadiz. A broadcast from Seville, as might be expected, considering it is in the hands of the rebels, says that the Government, led by Senor Barrio, is as bad as the previous one. The new Minister of. War will be shot as soon as possible. ■ A destroyer bombarded the barracks at La Linea, and white flags were hoisted.

A ship arriving from Algericas reports that the rebels are gaining ground. An official announcement says that rebel troops attacked the prison at Barcelona to-day. They were repulsed by police and warders. At Cadiz the rebels are besieging the offices in which the Governor-General is housed. An Englishwoman, Mrs Bower, when returning to Gibraltar from Algericas, was wounded in the shoulders when rioters, shot and wrecked her car. STRIKE FOLLOWS REVOLT. GIBRALTAR, July 18. The revolt is reported to have affected several cities in Morocco. The rebels occupied the military headquarters at Ceuta. Workers declared a general strike, all shops were closed, and transport ceased.

ARMING LOYAL CITIZENS.

REBELS AT MELLILA.

SURRENDER AT MALAGA AND BARCELONA. (Received This Day,.12.35 p.m.) MADRID, July 19. Senor Pozss, in a broadcast message, announced that arms would be distributed to citizens and villagers desirous of forming combat squads in suppoit of the Government. He added that the insurgents at Melilla, had been routed. The rebels at Malaga and Barcelona have surrendered and the Government has rescinded the state of siege pio claimed by the mutineers. LEADER OF THE REBELS. SENT TO OPPOSE THEM. ASSUMES COMMAND ON ARRIVAL (Received This Day, 12.35 p.m.) LONDON, July 19. The Casablanca correspondent of the “Times” estimates the number of mutineers under General Franco at 18,500. The movement is wholly Monarchist. A prominent part was taken by the Foreign Legion, whose suppression of the Asturias revolt in 1934 aroused the hatred of the workers. The Legion was embittered by the recent purge carried out by General Gomez Mortao (Commander-in-Chief in Morocco), under instructions from the Government, which removed many political suspects. The Government ordered General Franco to fly from the Canary Islands and direct ooerations against the lebcls m Morocco, but on reaching Lnrachc (Elarish) lie assumed their command. His buglers simultaneously sounded the “fall-in” at 2 a.m. yesterday. The troops in many garrisons stood to theii arms and were dispatched to occupy strategic points and arrest leading civilians. General Franco declared martial law

and seized the telephone and telegraph services after a determined fight and organised resistance by anti-aircraft fire against the Government bombing ’planes dispatched from Madrid. A loyal pilot, Gregoris Garcy, refused to obey and escaped in an aeroplane to Port Lyantey, in French Morocco. The crews of three warships sent to overawe the rebels joined their forces. The crew of another is parleying witli the mutineers at Elarish, and the issue is still uncertain. SENOR GIL ROBLES IN FRANCE. (Received This Day, 9.45 a.m.) PARIS, July 19. ;3enor Gil Robles (ex-Minister ot War) has arrived at Biarritz from Spain.