SPANISH STRIFE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 10, 10 December 1936, Page 9

SPANISH STRIFE

PLEBISCITE PROPOSAL. ANGLO-FRENCH ATM. ARMISTICE HOPED FOR. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received December 10, 8.40 a.m. LONDON, Dec. 9. Tho Daily Herald’s Paris correspondent reports that a plebiscite in Spain to end the war is now the aim of tho British and French Governments. Their mediation, it is hoped, will lead to an armistice, after which a popular vote will be taken. The Spanish Government is believed to be agreeable, but General Franco’s attitude is an unknown factor. RELIEF FOR SUFFERING. BRITISH OVERTURES. (British Official Wireless.) Received December 10, 11 a.m. RUGBY, Dec. 9. An important announcement regarding humanitarian assistance for the Spanish population was made by the Foreign Secretary (Mr R. A. Eden) in the House of Commons at question time. Mr Eden said: “The Government considered that the organisation best suited to handle this matter on a broad international basis was the international relief under the League of Nations to deal with disasters of exceptional gravity. His Majesty’s Government has accordingly asked for an early meeting of the executive committee of the Union for the purpose of formulating a scheme for the immediate relief of the suffering resulting from the military operations in any part of Spain. The Brit.sh and French Governments have exchanged views on the situation created by the prolongation of the engagement" of the Spanish civil war and have asked the German, Italian, Portuguese and Soviet Governments to join with them in declaring their absolute determination to renounce strictly all action which might be calculated to lead to foreign intervention, and to give appropriate instructions to thenrepresentatives on the London committee with a view to the organisation of fully effective control. The same four governments . have bedn requested to join in the spirit ot humanity in an endeavour to put an end to the conflict by means ot an otter of mediation, enabling Spain to give a united expression to its national will. BATTLE FOR MADRID. VIGOROUS GUNFIRE. LONDON, Dec. 9. General Franco’s threat to launch a full-powered attack against Madrid has resolved itself into increased gunfire, to which the Loyalists have vigorously responded with air bombing raids and artillery, their guns being now sufficiently numerous to keep the insurgent front line communications under fire by night, thus shaking the hold of the Moors and legionaries on University City.... , A French airliner in the service 01 the French Embassy was fired on by another aeroplane and forced down near Pastrana, 40 miles east oi Madrid, while en route to Toulouse. Four passengers were wounded. A communique issued by the Madrid Government states that the attacking aeroplane belonged to the insurgents.