SPANISH CIVIL WAR

Evening Star, Issue 22682, 23 June 1937, Page 9

SPANISH CIVIL WAR

“ BASQUE COUNTRY UNCONQUERED " GOVERNMENT REMAINS CONFIDENT Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright SALAMANCA, June 22. The insurgents deny that Bilbao was bombed or machine-gunned from the air. They say that no insurgent plane flew over during the three days before the capture of Bilbao. After a conference the Government at Valencia issued a long manifesto to the Spanish people to tho effect that, although Bilbao had been evacuated, the Basque country was unconquered. The manifesto says: “ The world will shudder when it knows the whole story. One hundred and fifty thousand people preferred to abandon tho city to living under the tyranny of the invaders. The Government remains confident of ultimate victory.” REBEL STRONGHOLD MINED MANY TROOPS ANNIHILATED. VALENCIA, June 21. A Madrid message says that the loyalists exploded three mines under the clinical hospital in University City, in which* long-isolated detachments of rebels had maintained a stubborn defence. The explosion wreaked havoc, and the Government claims that between 400 and 750 rebels were annihilated. According to a report from Hendayo, the rebels have occupied Portugalete, and also the suburb of Sesta and Santurgo.

NON-INTERVENTION FLANS PROBLEM OF FOREIGN VOLUNTEERS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 21. In the House of Commons, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Mr Anthony Eden) assured the House that the Government was doing its utmost to accelerate the Non-intervention Committee’s work on the problem of the withdrawal of foreign combatants from Spain, and was making certain suggestions to this end. Mr Eden also indicated that improvement in the naval control scheme would be discussed by the chairman’s suh-committee. In answer to another question, Mr Eden said that any scheme involving the placing of foreign officials on Spanish territory would require the consent and collaboration of both parties in Spain, which had never been forthcoming in the past, and there was no reason to suppose it would he forthcoming now. BRITAIN BECOMING IMPATIENT LONDON, June 22. “ Britain is becoming distinctly impatient in regard to the German demands in regard to Spain,” declares the diplomatic correspondent of ‘ The Times.’ “ Britain has gone as far as possible to meet the legitimate demands of Germany and Italy, and expects some reciprocity. PROPOSAL FROM MR NASH A LEAGUE MANDATE. LONDON, June 21. A proposal that the League of Nations should take over the Non-in-tervention Committee’s work was made by Mr Nash (New Zealand Minister of Marketing), at a meeting of the League of Nations Union. “ What' can we say to this committee,” Mr Nash asked, “ when two of the Powers represented on it are intervening and Spain is not represented? The League should force the withdrawal of foreign troops and put Spain under a League mandate for a year.”- _____ SAFETY OF WARSHIPS INSURGENTS’ ASSURANCES. HENDAYE, June 22. (Received June 23, at 10 K a.in.) The rebel Government has informed the British Ambassador (Sir Henry Chilton) that it will completely safeguard the warships of the four patrolling Powers, and will indicate safety zones in the ports. SURRENDER OF BASQUE MILITIA HENDAYE, Juno 22. (Received June 23, at 1.5 p.m.) The surrender of the Basque militia at Bilbao is complete, three battalions handing over their arms. All police and civil guards except 400 who were sent to Santander have joined the rebels. CONDITIONS AT SANTANDER PEOPLE ON VERGE OF STARVATION. ST. JEAN DE LUZ, June 22. (Received June 23, at 1.5 p.m.) The quarter of a million people crowding Santander are on the verge of starvation, according to British refugees who arrived here. People are sleeping on floors and in doorways, and subsist on spoonfuls oi soup and a small

ration of beans, though milk is plentiful. The hospitals lack doctors and nurses. Scores of wounded soldiers, with which the institutions arc crowded, are dying daily. Civilians line the quays clamouring for passages on outgoing steamers. HOUSE OF COMMONS DISCUSSION CONCERN FOR REFUGEES. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 22. (Received June 23, at noon.) In a statement in the House of Commons Mr Eden said that, in the view of His Majesty’s Government, the principal cause of the present unsatisfactory state of affairs in Spain was the presence of non-Spanish nationals. The committee had before it a report that provided a plan for the withdrawal of those foreigners, but some time must elapse before such a plan could be put into effect. The Government therefore offered to place its services at the disposal of the committee in order to facilitate and hasten the early withdrawals of foreign combatants, which it desired should take place without delay. Mr Attlee urged that the non-inter-vention agreement had broken down, and suggested the reference of the Spanish situation to the League of Nations. Mr Eden replied: “It is clear that the agreement is not working as we should wish it to work, but this is an agreement to which every nation in Europe has put its name, and consequently we have gravely to consider the position which confronts us.” The Prime Minister, answering a House of Commons question on the evacuation of Basque refugees, explained the difficulties arising from the absence since the end of last week of the conditions on which British naval protection had previously been given—namely, the assurance of the Basque Government of impartiality and the association of the British Consul with the arrangements in order to ensure that the assurance would be carried out. His Majesty’s Government was considering the jjossibility of other measures with a view to supervising the character of the evacuation, and was in communication with the French Government with a view to arranging a system of joint control at French ports of arrival. Meanwhile, instructions were being sent to the naval authorities on the north coast of Spain to .continue protection of refugee ships, British and others, proceeding to France. Mr Chamberlain also referred to Mr Lloyd George’s suggestion that Basque women and children should bo evacuated through France to Barcelona and Valencia. The Government had consulted France, ami had received a favourable reply. If the refugees themselves wished to go in this way the British Navy would give them protection.