Catalan Province

Grey River Argus, 8 October 1934, Page 5

Catalan Province

PROCLAIMS SEPARATION. (Received October 7 at 6.30 p.m.) MADRID, October 6. Senor Don Luis Companyo, President of the Catalonia, this evening declared “a separate government, entitled the Catalan state of the Iberian Federal Republic.” It is expected that this proclamation will be followed by the establishment of a provisional government under Senor Azana, the Socialist ex-Premier of Spain, and that the provisional government will declare Senor Lerroux’s Government to be unconstitutional.

There was a tense atmosphere in Barcelona, where ten thousand demonstrated all night long, demanding a republic. The President of Catalonia, appeared on the balcony of the palace and urged patience. Rebels, commandeering motor cars, attempted to assault barracks, but failed, finding machine guns at every strategic point. An infantry regiment mutinied at Cartagena, and seized the barracks. Artillery were then sent to suppress them. Communications with France were cut off, hundreds of travellers being stranded on the frontier, where roads were blocked by trees. The Catalan Government ordered all communications between the city and the rest of Spain to be cut off, and instead of playing the Catalan hymn, the radio station broadcast the “Marseillaise.” It has been impossible to approach anywhere near the palace, and there must be a large number dead and wounded. - The broadcasting station there is issuing repeated calls to the people to take up arms. Insurgents proclaimed a basque republic at Bermeo, but police from Bilbas restored order there and tore down the red flag.

TROOPS GOING TO CATALONIA. (Received October 7at G. 30 p m.) MADRID, October 6. General Franco, with fifty thousand troops, is expected to arrive shortly at Barcelona. CARTAGENA, Otoher 7. Warships have been ordered to proceed to Barcelona alt full speed. MADRID, October 7. A Barcelona message states that Federal troops went into action against the new Catalan Government at 11.15 p.m. on Saturday, when they opened an attack on the Government, palace, which lasted until 2.40 a.m. on Sunday, roaring throughout the night. PREMIER’S STATEMENT. (Received October 7 at 7.10 p.m.) MADRID, October 7.

Senor Lerroux, the Prime Minister, in a statement lafie to-night, said he was aware the disorders have been directed against him. He was quite prepared to face them. The Prime Minister added that he regards the measures which already have been taken, as being a sufficient guarantee for the security of his regime. He remarked: “Let them proclaim their provisional republic of Catalonia if they like!”