WAR IS NO LONGER

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 35, 11 February 1937, Page 7

WAR IS NO LONGER

t SPANISH AFFAIR. FOREIGN FIGHTERS. Italians and Germans Most Active. GOVERNMENT PROTESTB. | L'nlt'J l'ross Association.—Copyright. (Rpcplvpil 12 noon.) LONDON, February 10. The "Manchester (imirdian" diplomatic correspondent says the rebels in Spain are now superior in numbers to the (iovernnient forces, and much superior in discipline and equipment, thanks to Italian and German aid. Italians seem to lie the elite of the corps. Many served in Alivssinia. The largest contingent of foreigners oil the Government side is French, hut mostly they are ill-trained volunteers. Spaniards on both sides seem reluctant to fight, leaving the brunt of battle to foreigners.

Italians played the greatest part in the capture of Malaga. Germans were inclined to stand off.

A Government communiijue. in addition to alleging that the Italian warships Muzio Artendolo and Armando Diaz lured the Government fleet from the coast, where the rebels were operating, declares that "such latitude on the part of neutral vessels is unprecedented in history. Evidently Italians planned to eliminate our ships from battle, reduce their stocks of fuel and scatter our forces. - ' The Government also alleges that German and Italian warships were spying out and bombarding the coast under cover of darkness. An earlier message from Valencia stated that the Spanish Cabinet approved a motion claiming that the co-operation of Italian warships with the rebel fleet was one of the main causes of the fall of Malaga. It alleged that on the eve of the battle two Italian battleships appeared off the coast and prevented Government warships from Cartagena reaching Malaga.

A British United Press message from Gibraltar says the rebel Administration at Malaga lias created three special tribunals, consisting of 33 judges, to try .1000 Loyalists.

NUMBERS UNKNOWN.

FOREIGN BELLIGERENTS

British Official Wirelens. (Received 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY. February 10. The Foreign Under-Secretary, Viscount Cranhornc. stated in the House of Commons in answer to a question, that according to his information there were large numbers of Italian personnel in Spain. but he could not give any accurate estimate of the number involved. The British Government recently addressed the principal European Powers with a view to putting an end to the dispatch of volunteers to Spain. The Italian Government had undertaken to prohibit these movements as soon as others did so, but declined to take such steps in advance of other countries.

Britain was now exercising its utmost efforts to secure agreement in the Nonintervention Committee on the date on which prohibition could he put into force simultaneously liv all Powers.

BRITON TO REPORT.

MALAGAS FOOD POSITION. British Official WirelemK. Rt'GBY, February 10. The British Consul at Malaga. Mr. J. Clissold. who left there a few weeks ago after the bombardment of the town by the insurgents and closed the Consulate, which was hit several times, returned to Malaya by a British destroyer from (iibraltar, following surrender of the town by Spanish (•overnment forces. Mr. Clissold will report upon the food situation, which, it is feared, may be seriously disorganised when the confusion of the change of administration is added to the problems already created by the addition during the last few days of 150,000 refugees to the normal population of 200,000.

Mr. Clissold will keep in touch with the British naval authorities, whose services, as the British Government has made plain, are available to either side in the civil war for giving humanitarian assistance wherever possible.

BARCELONA SHELLED.

UNKNOWN SHIP'S ATTACK. (Received 12 noon.) BARCELONA, February 10. An Unknown vessel shelled tlie <|iiays of the city, aiming at two oil ships, according to ail olticial announcement.