AID FOR WEAK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22719, 4 May 1937, Page 11

AID FOR WEAK

BRITISH NAVY BILBAO REFUGEES EVACUATION PLANS ' OBJECTION BY REBELS UNPLEASANT SURPRISE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received May 3, 5.25 p.m.) Times Cable LONDON, May 2 The British Embassy at Hendaye, France, has informed the Foreign Office that'the Spanish Nationalists (insurgents) strongly object to the British decision to help in the evacuation of women and children from Bilbao and other Basque ports. H The protest is an unpleasant surprise as it was felt that no objection was possible owing to the humanitarian aspect of the matter. The Bilbao correspondent of the Times states that the preparations which are proceeding for the evacuation of women and children from Bilbao may result in the greatest oceanic migration in history. The Spanish steamer Habana (10,551 tons), now the Nervion, will carry the first hatch to France on Tuesday. Three thousand children capable of maintaining themselves will participate in the first trip with 800 tp be maintained in France by the General Labour Confederation, which has agreed to provide for a total of 2300.

Mrs. Leah Manning, representing the Relief Committee, telegraphed to Sir Walter Citrine, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, asking whether his council is willing to follow the example of the French Labour organisation. One family has placed a steam vaclit at the service of the Basque Government for humanitarian purposes. This, with other ships, will be convoyed by the British Navy and will fly the St George's Cross as a special flag and compliment. BOMBS ON MADRID REBELS' DAILY ATTACKS ANNIVERSARY RECALLED (Received May 3, 5.25 p.m.) MADRID, May 2 The bombardment of Madrid by the i rebels is being continued daily. Loyalist airmen dropped leaflets in the rebel i lines warning "Spaniards serving with the foreign invaders" that to-day is the anniversary of May 2, 1808, when Madrid repelled invasion by Napoleon's army, and concluding with the words: "Madrid's defenders are in our camp. Up with your hands. We await you."

GUERNICA'S INDUSTRY MANUFACTURE OF ARMS LEGITIMATE OBJECTIVE (Received May 3, 11.45 p.m.) LONDON, May 3 A London journalist who is an authority on firearms, Major Hugh Pollard, in a letter to the Times, eontends that the bombing of Guernica was not an attack on an unimportant civilian town. Guernica, he says, was almost as great a centre of small arms manufacture as Eibar. Small workers outside the numerous main factories make arms manufacturing their dominant industry in Vizcaya. Thus, Eibar and Guernica were legitimate objectives. '

WORST RAID KNOWN PITILESS BOMBARDMENT LONDON PRESS COMMENT LONDON, April 28 The full horror of the bombing and burning of the old city of Guernica becomes apparent as eye-witnesses and newspaper correspondents describe the carnage, which, tlie.v say, was inflicted by German aircraft. "The most ruthless massacre of the Spanish civil war," is one observer's comment. Almost every London newspaper condemns the happenings at Guernica as an outrage. Even the London Evening News, which has supported General Franco throughout, describes the raid as "the worst ever known." The Times says that the pitiless bombardment of a country town by an airfleet which encountered no resistance, and did practically no military damage, is a tragic storv. "The aim was evidently to terrorise the Basques, showing them what Bilbao may expect," the Times remarks. "But far from having this effect, it may even defeat its object, and may shock the patriotism of the other half of the Basque nation which is fighting on the insurgent, side." The Daily Mail, which is ardently Fascist ignores the bombing in its editorials, but prints a news item attributing the firing of the town to the anarchists. This is denier! by the Basque representative in London, who said: Unfortunately the bombing and massacre at''Guernica have been only too veil verified." Under the heading, " They Killed Children." a Daily Express editorial article says:—"The road to Bilbao is a trail of blood and ashes. The Daily has not taken sides in the Spanish civil war, but there are some "rings that pass all bounds and crv for Protest. Ihe Basque people met as devout Catholics to' give praise to God. The Hisurgent /lir-raidcrs have added a new y°rcl to the vocabulary of massacre—wierriica."

REQUEST for inquiry / British Wireless UUGBY, May j Several questions on the Guernica combine. wj ,| ()o !u](lrasse( i t0 the "H'ign Secretary in the House of otunions' on Monday One member ! ask the- Government to initiate sa ' s for an impartial inquiry into aii the circumstances.