REBEL OBJECTIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 104, 4 May 1937, Page 11

REBEL OBJECTIONS

EVACUATION PLANS

BRITISH NAVAL PROTECTION

IBrltlsb Official Wireless.) (Received May 4, 12.45 p.m.)

RUGBY, May 3.

In connection with the plans for the evacuation of women and children and old people at Bilbao, it is expected that the first contingent to leave will number about 5000, and it will consist almost entirely of children. |

The British Consul at Bilbao, Mr. Stevenson, will supervise the local arrangements,' and there will be no political discrimination in the selection of theue non-combatants. No hostages will be included. Accommodation is available to the Basque authorities in various vessels in Bilbao port, and the owners of several British merchantmen there are co-operating.

Protection will be afforded by the British naval authorities to vessels carrying refugees on the high seas. These vessels will fly hospital flags. As an act of courtesy the Salamanca authorities were informed, and it was believed no exception would be taken to work inspired by entirely humanitarian motives and carried out on a strictly impartial basis. A communication, however, has been received from General Franco who, while expressing appreciation of the British humanitarian motives, gives reasons for withholding his assent from the proposed method of protecting evacuation by sea.