LATE GENERAL MOLA.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 160, 8 June 1937, Page 7

LATE GENERAL MOLA.

SOLDIER WITH LITERARY GIFTS. Emilio' Mola Vidal, known as General Mola, the rebel commander on the northern front in Spain, who was killed in an air accident while reconnoitring a few days ago, was born at the foot of the Pyrenees in 1891 of a well-known Basque family. As a youth he had literary leanings and dreamed of being a second Cervantes. But his father put him into the Army where, starting ill the Guards, he won rapid promotion. For some reason lie elected to be known by his middle name. A clever man, he was nicknamed “Slowcoach” by bis colleagues because of the calm ami protracted consideration lie gave to problems. Displeased with conditions at the Spanish Court and with the dictatorship of Primp de Rivera, lie gradually went over to Republicanism, but without taking part in revolutionary movements. Thus he did not forfeit the confidence of the Crown and in January, 1931, under General Berenguer was made Inspector-General of the Spanish Police. In tliat capacity Mola was largely responsible for the fact tha.t the overthrow of the monarchy was accomplished without bloodshed. As the new regime trended more to the Left he became hostile to the Govern men t and was rriven a high command in Morocco as a° sort of exile. When the Right came into power, he returned to Spam and took over the command ol the troops in Navarre. Following the victory of the Lett at the elections in June. 1936, Mola was arrested in Madrid on suspicion of plotting a rising. But, as nothing could be proved against him, lie was released. When the Fascist revolt of General Franco began, the Madrid Government tried to enlist Mola on its side hv offering him the War Ministry, but he replied that he was already leading troops against it. He headed the rebellion in Navarre and the north crenerally, his soldiers capturing Inin and San Sebastian and thus facilitatiii2 Franco’s- march on Marine!. Mola enip'oyed his litevarv gifts in devising stirring slogans for his troops. He had had as colleague in the Cadet Corps at Pamplona Senor Alvarez del Vayo, who at the time of the rising was Foreign Minister. At first they were friends, hut eventually became rivals and their enmity led to. a duel with sabres on horseback in which Vayo was defeated.