WAR IN SPAIN

Hokitika Guardian, 9 June 1939, Page 5

WAR IN SPAIN

AID BY ITALY

A NEWSPAPER’S REVELATiCN§

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). (Received this day at 9.15 a.m.) ROME, June 8. The newspaper “Armed Forces,” says that forty Italian warships partii cipated in 220 naval actions during the Spanish war, including the occupation of Ibiza Island, and the defence or Majorca in 1936, the disablement of the Republican cruiser, Miguel de Cervantes, and the destroyer Churruca. 1 l*o article boasted that Italian submarines spread fear in the Mediterranean, while a fleet of armed motorboats torpedoed various enemy vessels off Sicily and in Spanish waters. A total of 149 Italian ships was placed at General Franco’s disposal. War material supplied included 4370 lorries and four hospital ships, which transported 14,858 wounded and sick to Italy in thy course of twentynine voyages. The article has received official blessing. MATERIAL LEFT BY ITALIANS. (Per British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 7. In a long answer in the House of Comomns regarding military material left in Spaip by the Italians, the Prime Minister (Mr Chamberlain)’ said that, taking all the circumstances into account, Britain did not propose to make representations to Italy unless the situation should be materially altered by any new development.

He said that during the negotiations preceding the signing of the British and Italian agreement mention was made of the possibility of material being sold or given away after the end of the civil war. , ’ .

It was not against such an eventuality that Britain especially desired to guard. •;

On the other hand, the information available showed that the main objective of the agreement had been achieved with the withdrawal of Italian troops and war material still in Italian hands.

The objective was to ensure against the possibility that at the end of the war the Spanish Government might be induced to afford bases where quantities of war material might be under Italian military control. *

GERMAN PART IN WAR.

DISCLOSURES BY HITLER.

RUGBY, June 8

The “Daily Telegraph,’’ commenting on Herr Hitler’s address to the German legionaries returned from Spain, asks what was motive for his previous silence concerning their participation. “Was it that he could not feel quite sure of his country’s approval to a remote and hazardous adventure until he was able to boast of accomplished victory p Or war it that silence was a useful diplomatic counter in an argument as to who was doing most of the intervention ?

“Whatever part the first motive may or may not have played, the operation of the second seems beyond doubt.

“From the start to the finish of the war the controlled Nazi press was perpetually fulminating against the wickedness of other people’s intervention, real or imaginary, while sedulously concealing the German share. “Even Britain, the European Great Power which indisputably maintained strict neutrality, was not excluded from these charges. On the contrary, every scrap of information which could plausibly be represented as inculpating her was displayed beneath bold headlines.

“The exultant disclosures now made about the real part Germany played in the Spanish conflict from July, 1936, on wards are not likely to improve Herr Hitler’s reputation for candour.’’

MUSSOLINI’S TOAST. \ ROME June 8

) Signor Mussolini, toasting the Spanish Minister for Propaganda (fcfenor Serrano Suner) at o State banquet, said: “Fascist Italy felt from the beginning of your insurrection, that it,, constituted a decisive trial, not only for Spain’s future, but for the future of European civilisation. “We therefore did not hesitate to give you openly all our assistance from tlie first day until the final victory.

“Neither we, nor our valiant com rades in arms, the Germans, ever doubted General Franco’s full triumph.” triumph.”

A newspaper, “Armed Forces,” reveals that between the middle of December, 1936, and the middle of April. 1937, which was the period of Italy’s most intensive intervention, 52 troopships, convoyed by 30 warships, made 132 voyages to Spain, carrying a hundred thousand soldiers, forty thousand tons of war material, and /30 cannon, also that an Italian naval mission arrived at Cadiz in September 1936, in order to co-ordinate the operations of the Italian and Spanish fleets, and remained throughout the war.