ITALIANS FOR SPAIN

Northern Advocate, 6 January 1937, Page 5

ITALIANS FOR SPAIN

FRENCH PRESS ANGRY “UNBELIEVABLE DUPLICITY” BRITAIN. RESENTS ALLEGATION. tUmted Press Association.—By Electric Tele graph.—Copyright.! . (Received .1.30 p.m.) LONDON, January 5. A Paris despatch says the French Press considers, the despatch of Italians to. Spain, following the conclusion of the new agreement with Britain, an unbelievable duplicity.. It is understood at Cadiz that a further 6500 Italians landed in Spain, bringing the total to over 10,000 in two days. Italian and German suggestions that the Mediterranean agreement between Britain and Italy implies Britain’s tacit approvaT of intervention on behalf of General Franco, is strongly resented in London. _ A message from Rome says that despite resentment in London at the way Italy is straining the text of the new agreement, authorised commentators continue to find implicatiqns in it that , did not intend the Italians to construe a paragraph relating to the territorial integrity of Spain as meaning that the establishment of a Republic, apart from General Franco’s Government, would be tantamount to a flagrant violation of the status quo. The Britislj/and Italian assurances apply not only to the Balearic Islands, but to the whole of Spain and Morocco. Hence, Italy would never allow the establishment of a Catalan Republic. Cordial and sympathetic, tempered with realistic observations, is the oftl-, cial description of the Italian reply to the British and French non-interven-tion appeal. The reply, it is believed, is couched in similar terms to the German answer, and amounts to a refusal by Italy and Germany to prohibit the despatch of volunteers to Spain until all forms of direct and indirect assistance to either side are abolished. It severely criticises Russia.

LONDON TAKES GRAVE VIEW [British Official Wireless.l (Received 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, January 5. In London a grave view is taken officially of the continued arrival in Spain of foreign, nationals enlisting in the forces of either side in the civil war. Telegrams have been sent to Berlin and Rome, in which the request of the British Government is conveyed for replies to the British and French demarche by the end of the present week at least.

GERMAN naval ACTIVITY SPAIN APPEALS TO BRITAIN. LONDON, January 5. The Spanish Ambassador has handed to the British Foreign Office a Note ♦advancing reasons for the legality of the seizure of the German steamer p a los, recapitulating German reprisals, and adhering to the refusal to agree to the “impositions” of the German Admiral von Fischil. The Note says these are likely to eause the greatest complications should the Spanish navy or air force intervene to prevent the inclusion of the German navy. The purpose of the policy of non-intervention, and the efforts to localise the conflict might thus be irreparably compromised. The'- Spanish Government, therefore, j S leaving to the British Government’s judgment the submission of its examinations of the. situation to the NonIntervention Committee.

SCHOOL GIRLS SHOT dangers of a diary. (Received 11 a.m.) LONDON, January 5. The Exchange Telegraph Company’s Seville correspondent reports that two school girls, aged 1G and 18 years, v/ere shot at Barcelona for . “jointly Keeping a diary in which anti-Red ?cn timents were expressed.”

FIERCE FIGHTS FOR MADRID LOYALISTS CLAIM SUCCESS. (Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, January 5. Fierce fighting continues round Madrid. Rebels claim to have captured the strategic town of Las Rozas. A day of desperate fighting northwest of Madrid resulted-in an insurgent gain of five miles. They claim that the enemy was routed, but the loyalists at least prevented them from breaking through.

The Madrid correspondent of “The Times” says all danger;,,to Madrid from the east has now been removed. Loyalist columns, operating along the road to Saragossa and to Soria, captured aerodromes at Villaseca' and Caste Jon. and the whole of the Atienza district wheat crop and cattle, which should relieve the capital’s food problems.

> CONSULS DESERT POSTS ) (Received 1 p.m.) • ADELAIDE, This Day. Mr. E. Phillips Dancker, Vice-Consul foi Spain, has tendered his resignation because he is “unable to reconcile himself with the politics of his Government.” He says the Consul-General for Spam in Sydney has also resigned for the same reason.