GENERAL FRANCO’S CLAIM

Evening Star, Issue 22683, 24 June 1937, Page 11

GENERAL FRANCO’S CLAIM

CONTROLS TWO-THIRDS OF SPAIN REBELS ADVANCING ON SANTANDER Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright SALAMANCA, June 23. A broadcast stated that all the manufacturing districts in Bilbao were in the hands of the rebels, including the shell factory. It added that General Franco now controls two-thirds of Spain and all the colonies, and that lie expects official recognition. The British United Press reports further advances by the rebels on the Bilbao front towards Santander. The Bayonne correspondent of the ‘ Daily Telegraph ’ says the Basque Minister of Health (Senor Alfredo Espinosa) and several others, who were flying from Toulouse to Santander, were taken prisoner when the French commercial plane in which they were making the trip made a forced landing in insurgent territory. ARRESTED AS SPIES MEMBERS OF TROTSKYIST PARTY. LONDON, June 23. The Barcelona correspondent of the British United Press says that 300 suspects, including tho Trotskyist, Senor Nin, and other leading members of tho Trotskyist party, also a former Minister of Justice in the Catalan Government, have been arrested and accused of belonging to a vast espionage organisation, which is taking advantage of the plight of Spain in order to conduct subversive activities. ENGLISHMAN INVOLVED REPRESENTATIVE OF INDEPENDENT LABOUR PARTY. LONDON, June 23. (Received June 24, at 10.50 a.m.) Tho Independent Labour Party states that an Englishman, Mr John M'Nair, the party’s Barcelona representative, is among those arrested, and will be charged with carrying letters and money for the Spanish Trotskyist Party. Mr Fenner Brockway, secretary of the . Independent Labour Party, says the arrest presumably is a sequel to the repatriation of some wounded and sick members, money for whom was taken from Mr M'Nair and restored, after which the incident had been thought closed. ITALIAN AVIATORS CASUALTIES AND CLAIMS. ROME, June 23. (Received June 24, at 11 a.m.) It is officially announced that 43 volunteer Italian airmen have been killed in the Spanish war. It is claimed that Italian aviators in Spain have brought down 218 French, British, Russian, and American planes. MINES NEAR BARCELONA BARCELONA, June 23. (Received June 24, at 11 a.m.) Naval authorities report the discovery of two mines af Cape Bajur, 70 miles north-east of Barcelona. They have been taken ashore for examination, ADVANCE ON SANTANDER VALENCIA; June 23. (Received June 24, at 1 p.m.) The rebels have captured Baracaldon. General d’Avila has at his disposal 65,000 men for an attack on Santander. FEAR OF GERMAN BOMBARDMENT VALENCIA CITIZENS TAKE TO CELLARS. VALENCIA, June 23. (Received June 24, at 1.5 p.m.) Thousands of citizens, apprehensive of a German bombardment, sought refuge in cellars and bomb-proof shelters last night, and emerged this morning hardly able to believe their good fortune. The British cargo boat Marion Moller left St. Jean de Luz for La Rochelle with 1,700 refugees, whom the Bilbao authorities drove aboard like sheep. Many were without food during the long, rough voyage. QUESTION OF RECOGNITION AUSTRIA’S REFUSAL. VIENNA, June 23. (Received June 24, at 11 a.m.) The Government has turned down a request from General Franco, backed by Germany, to recognise the rebel Government of Spain. Austria’s refusal is interpreted as a gesture of friendship to the Western Powers. RECOGNITION BY BRITAIN REQUEST BEING EXAMINED, (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 23. (Received June 24, at noon.) Dir Eden told the House of Commons during tho course of answering a large mini I: or of questions on Spain

that he had received a communication from the Salamanca authorities containing a reasoned claim for recognition. of the belligerency, which was being examined. No immediate change in the Government’s attitude on this matter was contemplated. He was also considering what further steps were to be taken following receipt of an answer to the British protest regarding the mining of H.M.S. Hunter. The insurgent Note explained that the disaster was caused by a mine moored in territorial waters, but this was at variance with the facts as reported by the Hunter. In another answer Mr Eden said General Franco’s attention had been drawn to The Hague Convention forbidding the laying of mines off the coasts at ports of an enemy with the sole object of intercepting commercial navigation. Concerning British cargoes detained by the insurgents, Mr Eden said the British Ambassador was pressing the authorities at Salamanca for an explanation of their conduct regarding the cargo of the Fernando I cle y Barra, which was being unloaded and sent into the interior*