Loyalists’ Last Stand

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 82, 7 April 1938, Page 7

Loyalists’ Last Stand

Rebels Only Day s March From Sea DICTATORIAL POWERS TOR NEGRIN United Pi-eas Association—Bv ffiectrlo Telegraph.—Copyricht Received Thursday, 1 a.m. BARCELONA, April 6. The Republicans are preparing a last stand in the mountains between the Lerida and Barcelona provinces. Defences are being hastily built outside Lerida with the aid of volunteers and prison labour at the most advanced points at Casteilon and Tarragona. The insurgents are only a day’s march from the sea. Farther cast along the hundred-mile Aragon front the insurgents are advancing from Lerida and have reached fifteen miles northeast of Lerida and twenty-five miles from the vital reservoir supplying the water power for Barcelona’s industries. As a result of the Cabinet reshuffle Scnor Negrin assumes almost dictatorial powers, retaining the Premiership and taking over the Defence portfolio. Two workers’ syndicates with a membership of 5,000,000 represented in the Government are pledged to support the Republican front. Sseuor Prieto who fell foul of the Labourites and SSenor Negrin has withdrawn from political office. The reshuffle means that the workers are determined to resist to the end, also the victory of Senor Negrin's policy of co-opting the communists. MILITIAMEN PACE DEATH LOST IN THE PYRENEES Received Thursday, 1.30 a.m. LONDON, April 6. The Daily Mail‘s Luchon correspondent reports that 4000 militiamen of the 43rd Spanish Red Division are lost in the Pyrenees and facing death from starvation and exposure. Many are believed to be only a few hours from the French frontier. French mobile guards are being rushed to the heights to search. LOYALIST APPEAL TO BRITAIN AND FRANCE “APPEAL TO CONSCIENCE OF GOVERNMENTS ’ ’ LONDON, April 5. A Spanish Government Note delivered to the Foreign Office addresses “a solemn appeal to the conscience of the British and French Governments,” in view of the gravity of the military situation and regarding the appalling and dangerous injustice of maintaining the non-intervention agreement, which Italy and Germany unashamedly, with public boasting, are violating in favour of the insurgents. The Note adds: "The Rebel victories in the Aragon were due to very large reinforcements of men and material from Italy and Germany, which also, in Italy’s case, was a breach of promise to Britain not to disDatch reinforcements during the Anglo-Italian negotiations.