BATTLE FOR MADRID

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 February 1937, Page 7

BATTLE FOR MADRID

CONTRADICTORY CLAIMS

REBELS CROSS RIVERS ~

[BY CABLE—PRESS ASSN. —COPYBIGHT.]

(Recd. Feb. 16, 10.30 a.m.). LONDON, February 15

The Spanish Government admits that Sunday’s battles for “the lifeline of Madrid” were most intense,' .but claims that the main highway tb Valencia is still open, though subject to artillery fire. J • ('.d’Mj.t; Fighting intensified all day by' the Jarama River, with-the rebels attacking the Arganda bridge commanding the highway. 'There was furious fighting on the Guadalajara front, but the position was unchanged at nightfall. General Dellano claims that the insurgents crossed the Manzanares and Jarama rivers, and control Arganda bridge, enabling Madrid to be completely besieged, so it will be forced to surrender. The insurgents further advanced toward Almeria, occupying Torrenuenva near Motril.

The Perpignan railway from France to Spain, on the eastern frontier, was cut when an insurgent plane flew ovei- Portdoli and,. dropped; bombs on the line, which was destroyed for a. considerable distance.

SCENES IN MADRID.

‘ s: (LONDON, February 14.

The West Park of Madrid, where normally nursemaids and children played and couples courted, is a maze of trenches, with its trees torn by grenades and rifle fire. The Government’s fortifications were so complete that when the rebels burst into the University City they did not know the ''enemy’s positions, which were, concealed in a labyrinth of tunnels lit by electricity. The rebels still’occupy the cellars and the first floor of the battered eight-storey shell of one of the most modern hospitals in Europe, which they stormed, weeks ago. They do not venture into the upper storeys before nightfall.

The cancer institute close by is a mass of ruins. The no man’s land beyond the barrier of sandbags is dotted with corpses of rebels, victims of the last attack.

DEMANDS TO PREMIER.

VALENCIA, February 15.

Eighty thousand participated in’ a demonstration, which sent a deputation to Signor Caballero, 5 -at the Premier’s Palace, urging a. purge of military leadership, the-institution of a single command, the creation of a strong War Ministry under ment control, compulsory military service of all able-bodied men, and intensification of the 'work of fortifications.

Premier Caballero promised to consider all the points.

VALENCIA SHELLED.

' . VALENCIA, February 15... . An unknown vessel bombarded Valencia at 10 p.m. on Sunday. Approximately 30 shells passed over the centre of the city, falling in outlying parts. The Government gunboat Laya replied, driving off the attacked. It is reported that 14 were killed and 30 injured. , v REFUGEES MACHINE-GUNNED. LONDON, February 14. The Valencia correspondent of “The Times” states that during the retreat of the loyalists from Malaga to Almeria, rebel aeroplanes swooped down on 40,000 heavily laden men, women and children who were fleeing from the \ Fascist terror, and machinegunned them, killing hundreds. The slaughter was intensified by the fire of rebel warships sailing parallel with the coast. Senor Julio del Vayo (Spanish Foreign Minister) obtained this information from three Ministers, who have returned from Almeria. PEER KILLED ' AVILA, February 15. It is announced that the Marquis of Aulencia was ;killed in the severe fighting at Las Rozas on January 13. REBELS' NOTE ISSUE’ (Recd. Feb. 16, noon). LONDON, February 15; The “Telegraph’s” Diplomatic Correspondent says: General . Franco notes, printed at Leipzig and not backed by gold which the Spanish Government has long since seized, are appearing in large numbers in Spain. The cost of the notes and also the payment of German supplies to Franco, is financed through an organisation known as the Rowag, consequently the German Government is able to disclaim responsibility.

BOMBS NEAR BRITISH SHIPS

RUGBY, February 15

Insurgent aircraft which appeared to be four-engined Junkers, with bombing gear, circled twice round H.M. destroyers Havock and Gypsy, outside Spanish territorial waters yesterday, and dropped two 400-pound bombs and two 40-pound bombs without effect. The destroyers replied with warning shots and the aircraft proceeded towards the Balearic Islands. One of the destroyers was en route for Malta, and the other for the Eastern Mediterranean. A protest, was immediately lodged by the Consul at Palma, and a formal protest will also be sent to the Salamanca authorities by the British Ambassador, Sir H. Chilton.

APPEAL FOR REFUGEES

RUGBY, February 15

At Commons question time, the Un-der-Secretary of Foreign Affairs (Lord Cranborne), announced that an appeal had been received from the Spanish Government for relief of refugees at present at Almeria.’ His Majesty’s Government w r as urgently considering whether the question of any international relief action could profitably be examined. Lord Cranborne recalled that the British proposal last December, that assistance for the relief of the Spanish civilian population should be organised on an international! basis, was not at that time acceptable to the Spanish Government.

1 PEOPLE AND CHURCHES. BRITISH MISSION’S REPORT. (Recd. February 16, 2.15 p.m.) LONDON, February 15. > The absence of anti-God propaganda or molestation,, df Protestant churches and pastors, while many Catholic churches were destroyed and priests killed, impressed the Anglican, and Free Church group, including the Deans of Chichester and Rochester,, who have returned from Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid. They report that while a. strong an-til-clerical movement exists, there is no evidence of Godless propaganda.. The Scriptures are.ffieing offered freely at the bookstalls.’ The Catholic churches- were closed or secularised. Some were uninjured; and some had.'., the religious symbols removed. , Oth-; ers were injured or destroyed by fire or military operations, owing to their employment as rebel munition stores; whence the crowd were fired upon. Terrorists in the country districts* invaded the villages and burnt church-;r x es. The Government upon regaining, control of the mob elements made aii; effort to preserve whatever was ar-A tistically valuable in churches, and; tried to safeguard the priests, convey-:; ing some abroad and protectively ar< resting others. Some were hid. Many; were killed either after the trials at; which they were convicted of rebellion or in mob outbreaks. Unless parish: priests were actively unpopular, »they, were not killed by ; parishioners. Hatred was more violent against the religious ,ord6r?J : th^ tt the parochial clergy- 5 the discovery of large stores oft money in clerical houses and convents aggravating the mob. Toleration would be assured, -if in Catholic ,leaders separated religion;, from improper political activity;

ITALIAN-GERMAN DEAL.

LONDON, February 14.

1 The Paris correspondent of the>.s “Daily Telegraph” says that diplomatic writers support statements that Signor Mussolini and General Goering have agreed .that Germany shallreduce her assistance to the Spanishrebels, allowing Italy to achieve arebel victory, in recognition of Italy-j. giving Germany a free hand in Czechoslovakia and predominance in the Danube Valley. In return for this, it is stated, Germany will grant .Italy ~ priority in Spain and the western-;. Mediterranean. NO TERRITORIAL DEAL.--RUGBY, February 15. Answering a House of Commons question about Italjaif military aid to the insurgent forces in SpaimY the Under-Secretary of -Foreign) W?*™ (Lord Cranborne) declared that so far as he was aware, there was nothing to substantiate the suggestion that any attempt was. being : .made to alienate; the territorial integrity or political independence of Spain. , GERMAN “AUDACITY.” (Recd. Feb. 16, ?.3Q p.m.). / VALENCIA, February 15. Senor Del Vayo, in the course of an, interview, declared:-'“Never shall we forget the activity of the German Fleet, which with a few ships, has shown itself capable of more insolence and audacity than the combined fleets of the world, and acted as ruler of the seas and master’ of the Mediterranean. We will never forget that fbreign intervention permitted the destruction of Madrid, by German planes. Franco and his Generals began as Fascists’ marionettes, and are now playing a secondary role. Germans and Italians are occupying all posts of responsibility find are behind every enemy, gun.’ FRENCH POLICY. PARIS, February 15. M Blum had a notable s victory dt the Nationalist a vote of confidence - in the Government being carried by 5642 to 702 votes. Another ,motion intervention oil behalf /ot<tlie Spanish Government was defeated; by 4222 to 902. - ' , A mass meeting of - Communists, howeyqr, unanimously carried a motion to ■lift,, the embargo on assistance.