BLOODSHED IN SPAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21086, 21 January 1932, Page 9

BLOODSHED IN SPAIN.

REDS AND ROYALISTS. RIOTING FOLLOWS STRIKES. INCENDIARISTS AT WORK. REVOLUTIONARY INDICATIONS. By Telegraph- Press Association—Copyright. (Received January 20. 7.35 p.m.) MADRID, Jan. 20. Following the proclamation of the general strike the Bilbao Reds and Royalists again clashed at night. The workmen attempted to sack the premises of the Catholic newspaper Gaceta del Norte. They shot the doorkeeper and subsequently attempted io set fire to a convent, but were repulsed by armed Royalists with several, casualties. Troops guarded the principal religious buildings. The Communists marched on the prison and obliged the authorities to release two of their comrades. They carried them shoulder high to another prison, demanding the release of all prisoners. The authorities opened fire and repulsed them. At Valencia, incendiarists attempted to set fire to churches and convents. Twenty thousand textile workers have struck in Barcelona. Assaults and robberies in Madrid are increasing. Cabinet ha s specially considered the renewed outbreak of strikes and riots throughout the country, and has decided to punish with equal severity extremists of both the right and left. Involving the full force of the law, the defence of the Republic is equivalent to imposing martial law. A disquieting feature has been a renewal of attempts to burn churches and convents, which last year led to the destruction of many art treasures. Moreover, the strike epidemic in many quarters is taking a revolutionary turn. The Government has suspended the leading Roman Catholic newspaper El Debate for publishing an editorial article asserting that the Government aided Communist attacks on church workers. A strike has been declared throughout the Galicia Province, beginning to-day. A number of men were arrested at Valencia in the act of placing bombs against the walls of a convent. The general strike at Bilbao ended in 70 arrests, including many distinguished persons.