Battle For Madrid

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 239, 9 October 1936, Page 7

Battle For Madrid

May Last a Month

LOYALISTS WELL ARMED AND IN STRONG POSITION United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—CoDyrlEht. Received Thursday, 7.30 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 7. The Daily Telegraph’s Talavera correspondent says General Franco, who has sis armies converging on Madrid, intends to leave open one way of escape from the capital to Valencia. Most of the insurgent officers have families in, Madrid, therefore they wish to spare it if possible. . General Franco’s forces now total 150,000 compared with the Government’s 80,000, but the latter occupy a strong defensive position and arc well supplied with artillery and ammunition. The battle for the capital may last a month. The insurgents’ thrust towards Madrid has been facilitated by the capture of Fuentiduena, Portillo and Santa Cruz de Retamar. The struggle for the last-named placo was very fierce and was preceded by an intensive aerial action. A message from Talavera states that 800 Government troops were killed in the fighting for Santa Cruz de Retamar. Navalcarnero is the next and last strong point between this front and Madrid.

Madrid Bombed

REPORTED EVACUATION HAS BEGUN. LONDON, October 7. A few hours after the warning by means of leaflets dropped from the air to the effect that the city would be bombed without mercy if it did not surrender, insurgent aeroplanes heavily bombed Madrid. A message from Burgos says that thirty machines were employed against railway lines, aerodromes, and barracks. There were signs of panic and it is declared evacuation has begun.

Tanks and Guns Against Sticks And Knives

LONDON, October 7. At the Labour Conference Senor Asua, one of the Spanish envoys, said : “We are fighting against tanks and guns, -with sticks and knives. We hope to buy arms somewhere if we can pay. ’' Senorita do Palencia, tho other envoy, speaking in English, said that she was of Scottish descent and a Catholic, and there would be absolute liberty for the Catholic Church when tho Government forces had won. The stories and pictures of atrocities were not true, but she did not deny that violence was committed on both sides, which was inevitable in civil war. Delegates to the Conference rose and sang the “Red Flag” and cheered, after which they discussed party affairs.

Thanks for British Assistance

(British Official Wireless) Received Thursday, 9:50 p.m. RUGBY, Oct. 7. The United States Ambassador in London delivered a-Note expressing the thanks of his overnment for assistance rendered by tho British Government to the United States Consul at Vigo and his family during the recent disturbances in Spain, and the British Minister in Caracas received a Note from tho Venezuelan Foreign Minister expressing the gratitude of his Government for assistance rendered to Venezuelan nationals in Spain.

Auckland. Labour Sympathy

Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. Active interest in the Spanish civil war is being taken by a number of Auckland trades unions and in the last few days several have decided either to send gifts of money to the Government party or to urge the New Zealand Government to intervene with Great Britain on behalf of the loyalists. Donations are being forwarded through the New Zealand Council for the war against Fascism. It was stated by a trades union secretary that the unions regarded the Spanish Government as a Labour Government and were prepared to give it every support against tike Fascist forces seeking to overcome it.