LOYALISTS BELIEVE VICTORY IS NEAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 16, 20 January 1939, Page 7

LOYALISTS BELIEVE VICTORY IS NEAR.

MYSTICAL FAITH.

Rebels Make Substantial Advances. SUPERIORITY OF ARMAMENTS. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 12."0 p.m.) LONDON". January 10. "The Times'' special Barcelona correspondent says the city is singularly calm and without despair. The great mass of the people, with almost mystical faith, feel that victory is near at hand, and fervently beiieve that Loyalist Spain is invested with a superior mission to lead the vanguard against the oppression of Fascism. It is anticipated that General Franco's artillery will be within range of Barcelona at the week-end. The latest report, from the fronts shows that the rebels' southern columns advanced five miles toward the capital. The centre columns penetrated deeper into slowly shrinking Barcelona Province. They are only eight miles from Jgualada. The coastal legions, advancing from Tarragona, are 39 miles distant. Large northern forces are crossing the Southern spurs of the Pyrenees and are closing in on the famous Catalan Mountain passes in an endeavour to cut the railway to France. Desperate Efforts Made. The British United Press Barcelona correspondent says that, outnumbered two to one and outarmamented five to one, the Loyalists are desperately withstanding the rebel onslaughts on six sectors of the Catalan front. Fierce conflicts are raging between Tora and Igualada. A message from Paris says German technicians have modernised Spanish submarine bases, according to the Spanish Government news agency. Three are situated on the Atlantic coast at Pasajes, Ferrol and Villa Garfia, two in the Mediterranean at Seville and Malaga, and all are now capable of sheltering numerous submarines. They have fuel depots, repair shops, magazines for torpedoes, mines and ammunition. It is reliably reported from Toulouse that General Franco is fortifying the Pyrenees against France. Italian and German technicians have planned pillboxes and machine-gun nests ou the Spanish side of the frontier. An unconfirmed report from Perpignan, France, says 00.000 Spanish Republican troops are preparing to leave the Madrid sector to reinforce the Catalan front. Oi\e report says four shiploads of 12.000 men have already I left Valencia for Barcelona.

| FURTHER LETTER. Mr. Attlee Still Wants The House Summoned. SERIOUS SITUATION. (Received 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, January 19. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. C. R. Attlee, in another letter to Mr. Chamberlain, expresses surprise at the contention that the abandonment of non-intervention would involve grave consequences. He pointed out that Mr. Chamberlain told the House of Commons on November 2. 1938, that Spain was no longer a menace to the peace of Europe. Mr. Aftlee added that the situation was most serious and needed urgent action on a larger scale to prevent wholesale starvation of women and children. He again urged the summoning of Parliament without delay. The "Daily Telegraph." in a leader, asserts that Mr. Attlee has not advanced new arguments in favour of summoning Parliament. The paper adds that supplying arms to Spain would be tantamount to intervention, which General Franco's allies would emulate, possibly transforming the civil war into a world war. against which the Spanish issue would be insignificant. The summoning of Parliament could only provide a more resounding platform for acrimonious speeches like Mr. Lloyd George's.

OPEN FRONTIER. CAMPAIGN IN FRANCE. Independent Cable Service. PARIS, January 19. The Socialist leader. M. Leon Blum, addressed a huge Socialist meeting, demanding the reopening of the Spanish frontier. "We are face to face with Italy, who is only waiting for General Franco's victory to start her colonial race against us," said M. Blum. "The present situation can no longer continue. I hope our campaign will not be too late to save the Spanish Republic."