SPANISH REVOLT

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 252, 21 July 1936, Page 9

SPANISH REVOLT

‘‘lnferno of Rebellion and Savagery” GOVERNMENT RESIGNS Moroccan Rebels Still Hold Key Points FIGHTING NEAR FRONTIER By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. (Received July 20. 8.10 p.m.) London, July 20. The “Daily Mail’s” Madrid correspondent says 'hat Spain is still an inferno of rebellion and savagery after 48 hours of bloodshed and lawlessness. Every important city except Madrid, where Communist militia control the streets, is under rebel influence. Malaga is the scene of fierce fighting, and is partly on fire. Twenty-five Royalist workers at the British-owned Rio Tinto mines were ambushed and killed by rebels at La Panoleta.

Senor Quiroga’s Cabinet has resigned and a new Government has been formed. At first this was headed by Senor Martinez Barrio, a former linotype operator and Speaker of the Cortes, who founded the Republic Union Party. Subsequently the Republican former Navy Minister, Senor Jose Giral, a professor of chemistry, who was born in Cuba, superseded Senor Barrio, who resigned the Premiership. General Sebastiano Pozas, the new Minister of the Interior, announced that the Government is strongly antiFascist. Socialists have been excluded from the new Cabinet, which, with five exceptions, is the same as the previous one.

The new Minister of the Interior. Senor Pozas, stated in a broadcast address that arms would be distributed to citizens and villagers desirous of forming combat squads in support of the Government. He added that the insurrectionists at Melilla (Morocco) had been routed and that the rebels at Malaga and Barcelona had surrendered. The Government has rescinded the state of siege proclaimed by the mutineers. Morocco Position. The Casablanca correspondent of “The Times" estimates the number of mutineers in Morocco, where the risiu? began, at 18.500, under General Franco. The movement is openly Monarchist, and a prominent part is being taken by the Foreign Legion, whose suppression of the Asturias revolt in 1934 aroused the hatred of the workers. The legion was embittered by a recent purge carried out by the Moroccan commander-in-chief, General Gomez Morato, under instructions from the Government, which ' removed mdny political suspects. The Government had ordered General Franco to fly from the Canary Islands to direct the operations against the rebels in Morocco, but on reaching Larache he assumed their command. His buglers simultaneously sounded the fall-in at 2 a.m. on July 18 and the troops and many garrisons stood to arms and were dispatched to occupy strategic points and arrest leading civilians. General Franco declared martial law and seized telephone and telegraph services, after a determined fight. He organ ! sed resistance by anti-aircraft fire against Government bombing aeroplanes which were dispatched from Madrid. A loyal pilot, Gregorio Garey, refused to obey and escaped in an aeroplane to Port Lyautey, in French Morocco. The erews ot three warships who were sent to overawe the rebels joined their forces, and the crew of another are parleying wth the Lprache mutineers, the issue being still racertain. . A message from Tangier states tnat rebels still hold the key points of Tetuan, Melilla, Larache and Ceuta, but the territory adjoining Tangier is all quiet *t present. Fighting in Morocco. British refugees from Larache say that there was severe-fighting. Nineteen persons were killed, including two generals, in fighting at Tetuan between rebel troops and supporters of the Popular Front Government. Thirty rebel officers were arrested. The insurgents imprisoned the High Commissioner of Tetuan and 50 leading citizens. Ceuta last night was still in the hands of rebels, but Government troops had been landed. Mosque officials state that 17 adults and three children were killed when a loyalist aeroplane bombed Tetuan. A deputation asked the Sultan to ensure t that the town was not involved in further bloodshed. The Melilla victims Include the general commanding the base at Nador. • A ship which arrived at Gibraltar from Algeciras reports that the rebels are gaining ground. The garrison of the Balearic Islands, under the military Governor, General Godet, has revolted. Rebels at the Canary Islands besieged the civil Governor and several members of Cabinet in the Governor’s > palace. The Las Palmas Workers’ Union has declared a general strike in support of the Government. Situation in Spain.

While the rebel movement in Morocco and the Canary Islands persists, the movement inside Spain appears to be weakening. The Government retains control of communications, except the Seville wireless station. The Government has ordered the arrest of several generals, including General Franco. President Azana has signed a decree disbanding all army units participating in the revolt. Leftists, with Government permission, broadcast a statement assuring the Government of their support. It was admitted in a broadcast address that a military rising had occurred in Barcelona. Soldiers took possession of the streets after the declaring of martial law. The air force remained loyal, and was assisted by loyal elements against the rebels. It is officially admitted that the rebel movement is not confined to Morocco. The Government is using the weapon of a general strike to kill the insurrection. and orders have been broadcast to trade unions to strike in any area where Fascists have declared a state of war. For instance, the railway unions have ordered their members to

•■join the proletariat in defence of the liberty of the Republic against criminal Fascist subversion.” The Government announces that civil servants in Malaga, Seville and other centres are supporting the Government. ' A message from Barcelona says that Senor Luis 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 parts. A Gibraltar message states that rebel troops are marching to Seville after disembarking at Cadiz.

A Rebel Broadcast. A broadcast from Seville, as is to be expected considering that the town is in the hands of the rebels, says that the new Government is as bad as the previous one, and that the new Minister of War will be shot as soon as possible. , A destroyer bombarded the barracks at La Linea and a white flag was hoisted. . An official announcement says that rebel troops attacked the prison at Barcelona to-day and were repulsed by police and warders. At Cadiz rebels are besieging the offices in which the governor is housed. Loyalists ar e attacking the rebels in order to release the governor. An Englishwoman, Mrs. Bower, returning to Gibraltar from Algeciras, was wounded in the shoulder when rioters shot at and wrecked her car. General Cabanellas, commandant of the Madrid garrsion, has been dismissed. Loyal troops are temporarily in the ascendant in the hinterland. Several regiments mutinied in the province of Navarra. The Madrid correspondent of The Times” says that the Government de-

Clares that the navy is entirely loyal. It adds that the rebels have been defeated at Puertolland. Barcelona and San Sebastian. Gibraltar Messages. A Gibraltar message says that after a period of mob law, in which Fascists houses and cars were burnt, two British destroyers are standing by in case of necessity arising for evacuating British subjects who have left summer residences in Spanish territory and taken refuge at Gibraltar. British police are warning British subjects that it is dangerous to proceed beyond the frontier town of La Linea. A large car containing Spanish fugitives was challenged by Spanish guards and the occupants fired. As a result the guard has closed the frontier gates and all cars leaving Spain are now challenged by rifle fire. The revolt is reported to have affected several cities in Morocco. The rebels occupied the military headquarters at Ceuta. The workers have declared a general strike, all shops have closed and transport has ceased. The Gibraltar correspondent of “The Times” says that fighting was resumed at La Linea between rebel troops, including 1700 Arabs arriving from Morocco by transport and Left Wing loyalists. Many Britishers, with the aid of field-glasses, watched from the frontier and saw people falling from houses and terraces as the rebels replied to counter attacks with artillery, machine-gun and rifle fire._ The streets are reported to be littered with dead. Heavy fighting was in progress at midnight. Two Britons, a man and a 'woman, were wounded. > Two British warships are standing by in order to evacuate Britishers from Spanish territory if necessary. Hundreds of Spaniards are fleeing to Gibraltar. The Yorkshire Light Infantry, wearing steel helmets, assisted police to guard the frontier. A small detachment of Arabs at Campamento village ordered a crowd of spectators to disperse. They refused, whereupon the Arabs bombed and machine-gunned them, killing many. Mr. Edward Marshall, former manager of the Gibraltar Y.M.C.A., was brougl' om La Linea and admitted to ho i with bullet-wounds. Seno, oil Robles, the former Spanish Minister of War, has arrived at Biarritz from Spain. Senor Lerroux, the former Prime Minister, and one of the founders of the Spanish republic, who was responsible for the arrest of Senor Azana last year, arrived and crossed the frontier-in a motor-car, escorted by a 1 car containing Portuguese police.

CLAIM -BY REBELS All But Three Provinces Dominated (Received July 21, 12.55 a.m.) London, July 20. Few direct messages are coming from Spain. A Government broadcast states that the cruiser Cervantes bombarded Cadiz and an earlier statement admitted that the steamer Churrica brought Moroccan troops to Cadiz and that a bombardment was decided upon when it was found that they were against the Government. The capture of Algeciras is admitted following the surrender of the garrison to the Moors.

The Ministry of the Interior claims that it is crushing the movement in Catalonia. General Goded surrendered unconditionally at Barcelona. He was mainly responsible for the fall of the dictatorship with the airman Hamon Franco, whose brother, General Francisco Franco, is leading the present revolt. A censored message from Lisbon states that the radio station at Seville is in the hands of the rebels, who broadcast an announcement that the rebels dominate all provinces with the exception of Asturias, Catalonia and Galicia, and that they had also captured the wireless station at Cadiz, where the governor has proclaimed martial law. The Madrid station is endeavouring to jam the Seville broadcasts. X

A censored message from Madrid states that many soldiers took advantage of the Government’s offer for them to abandon their regiments if they did not sympathise with the attitude of the officers. Several hundred soldiers at Madrid offered their services to the Government to carry out any duties. Taxi-loads of red militia, armed by the authorities, are patrolling Madrid. The Government claims that loyal submarines have arrived at Malaga, and that lovat wnrcs'p- bombarded Mellila onzl f'cute