PREMATURE REPORTS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 154, 26 March 1938, Page 11

PREMATURE REPORTS

End Of . Spanish Civil War ADVANCE OF INSURGENTS (Received March 25, 7 p.m.) London, March 25. In contrast with the Spanish Insurgents’ optimism, the Barcelona correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” points out that their failure to break through-to the sea, combined with the necessity for attacking at many points along the front running from the Pyrenees to Teruel, indicates that statements that the war has ended are extremely premature.

Meanwhile the insurgents are engaged in a series of thrusts to relieve Saragossa and Huesca from the proximity of Government troops. In this the insurgents are making some proegress and claim to have advanced six miles at Huesca.

The “Daily Mail” expects that General Franco will be decisively victorious within the next few weeks.

The present operations, it states, should cut the communications between Madrid and Barcelona. If these calculations are fulfilled Signor Mussolini is understood to be willing to undertake the withdrawal of Italian volunteers at the shortest notice.

The Hendaye correspondent of “The Times” interprets the nationalist offensives at Huesca and on the Ebro River as a movement to pinch out the Republican positions between Huesca and Saragossa. An Official report in Barcelona states that the homes of 10,000 people were destroyed in last week's bombing.