CIVIL WAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22487, 3 August 1936, Page 9

CIVIL WAR

SPAIN'S ORDEAL GATEWAY TO MADRID ; rebels in possession GOVERNMENT CALM CAPITAL DEEMED SAFE jjy Telegraph—rress Association—Copyright (Received August 2, p.m.) MADRID, August 1 There has been little change in the situation to-day. The rebels hold the Somos Sierra Fass—the "gateway to Madrid." Correspondents with the rebels describe captured Government encampments as being like picnics, the ground being littered with empty beer bottles. They contend that in the last few days the roads have been filled with abandoned cars, most of them turned in the direction of Madrid. Villages have suffered severely from sabotage. The Government, however, does not entertain fears for the capital, indicating' that the rebels' hopes perhaps are pitched too high. Extremists Sent to the Front Rebel artillery has been placed in position to shell Bilbao, from which centre the population is fleeing as the rebels are giving no quarter. The implacable character of the civil uar is further indicated by reports from Barcelona, where the population is out of hand. The Government is faced with the problem of getting thousands of armed men, often intoxicated, off the streets. It is sending extremists against the ! rebels at Saragossa where trained soldiers have little difficulty in mowing j down wild' youths.

Only f?2 survived from one contingent nf aon Escaped nuns are going from house to house asking to he taken in as maids. The morbid taste of extremists was gratified by the exhibition of .1 dozen corpses of nuns which were exposed in coffins one of which was dated 1624. Effocts of Premature Rising Fascists shot 500 Communist prisoners in revenge for an attack on one of their leaders near Valladolid. There is 110 doubt now that the Army's plans were upset by the premature rising following the murder of Senor Sotelo. Had they been able to wait the Government would have been compelled to ask the Army to take control. The Civil Guards, though they sympathise with the Right, have preserved their tradition by standing by the legal Government. Powerful Labour organisations have not spared themselves in the fighting. Against such a powerful, if incongruous, combination, the Ariny is faced with a tremendous task.

Monarchist army officers are reported to have mobilised at Salamanca and to' be marching to join the forces attacking Madrid.

INSURGENTS' CLAIMS

SURROUNDING MOVEMENT HOSTILITIES IN RANGES (Received August 2, 6.35 p.m.) MADRID, August 1 The insurgents claim victories in the passes through the Guadarrama ranges whereby they assert they are closing in on the capital, the situation of which is still doubtful. The rebels declare they have occupied north of Madrid, also El Molar and Navassenada, about 20 miles to the north-east. The Government reports the beginning of a heavy bombardment of the rebel positions in the Guadarrama ranges as a preliminary to an offensive to remove the threat to Madrid. It reports the capture of Castillo and Alienza and the killing of 86 insurgents. The rebels assert that they routed a force of 2000 miners and raiJwaymen, who were attacking Zamora, of whom 800 were killed.

ARMS FOR COMBATANTS France suggests embargo MEDITERRANEAN POWERS (Received August. 2, G. 35 p.m.) PARIS, Aug. I The French Cabinet in a communique announces that it has invited Britain and Italy to participate in an agreement between the Mediterranean Powers not to export arms to either side in Spain. The communique states that France hitherto has strictly observed her decision not to authorise tho export of arms to Spain, even in connection with contracts which existed before the civil *81". The fact that one Government has furnished Vvar material to the rebels obliges France to reserve freedom to reconsider that decision. the Gove rninent has the double task of preventing- an international dispute an d maintaining friendly relations and officially recognising the Government Spain, which is fighting to re-cstab-lish order. Hie Government hopes for a rapid Mediterranean agreement, which could h*. extended later to all tho Powers. FLYING ARMADA INVASION OF SPAIN GENERAL FRANCO'S PLANS (Received August p.m.) TETIfAN. Aug. 1 It is reported at Tetuan that tho rebel leader, General Franco, is organ- ' lsing a flying armada for tho invasion of Spain. With this object ho is mobilising member.'; of the Foreign Legion, ho will be flown to Algeciras in 18 Italian aircraft and several big seaplanes which;will each carry 20 fullyefinipped men, The object is to smash the Government's resistance at Cordoba, thus cutting Madrid's communications with the coast, when, it is con"toncleil, with the rebel armies in the ®orth and along the Portuguese frouler) tho capital can bo isolated and starved into surrender.