IRISH LEADERS IN DISPUTE

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21975, 26 December 1936, Page 11

IRISH LEADERS IN DISPUTE

* | VAIN ATTEMPT TO HELP SPANISH REBELS COMMANDANT CRONIN RETURNS TO CORK (UNITED PHESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Received December 25, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 23. Lack of co-operation between Irish leaders eager to assist the Spanish rebels resulted in the return to Cork of Commandant E. J. Cronin, the Blue Shirt leader, after a futile attempt to join General Franco's forces. Much to his amazement, the frontier guards at Elvas, on the border between Spain and Portugal, manifested hostility and refused to grant him a passage after he had been told in Lisbon that General O’Duffy resented his coming. The Spanish authorities suggested that he should co-operate with General O’Duffy’s brigade, but General O’Duffy had not replied to his communications. He therefore recovered his passport, which had been seized by the Portuguese secret police, and returned to Lisbon. • He wrote to General Franco offering to form another Irish brigade apart from General O’Duffy’s organisation, but the matter is still in abeyance. Dr. James Burke, a companion of Commandant Cronin, was also turned back at the border. WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN SPAIN A, UNIVERSAL APPEAL IN BRITAIN (Received December 25, 11.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 24. The Archbishop of Canterbury (the Most Rev. Dr. Cosmo Gordon Lang) is heading an appeal for distressed women and children in Spain. It is to be launched after Christmas, and is supported by the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, the head of the Church of Scotland, the Chief Rabbi, and many persons prominent in religious, business, and social life. ENDING FLOW OF VOLUNTEERS APPEAL BY BRITAIN AND FRANCE ■ 1 4 (Received December 25, 11.15 ifm.) LONDON, December 24. It is understood that the British and French Governments have separately instructed their ambassadors to Berlin, Rome, Moscow and Lisbon to urge the respective governments to co-operate in taking measures to end the flow of foreign volunteers to Spain. HUNGRY CHRISTMAS IN MADRID BRITISH LABOUR COUNCIL VOTES £IOOO (Received December 24, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 23. The National Council of Labour has granted £IOOO for the winter relief of women and children in Spain. A message from Madrid says that the city will have only meagre fare on Christmas Day, consisting chiefly of rice and lentils. All the available meat is going to the loyalists in the trenches. Food is plentiful on the rebel side and soldiers on the Salamanca front have been promised the finest Christmas dinner ever served under fire. A Christmas truce is most unlikcly. _______________