PRESSING ON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23223, 22 June 1937, Page 9

PRESSING ON

VICTORIOUS INSURGENTS PREPARING TO ATTACK SANTANDER REFUGEES FACE STARVATION LOYALISTS DETERMINED TO DEFEND MADRID (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, June 20. (Received June 21, at 5.5 p.m.) Following their entrance into the city of Bilbao the insurgents are pressing in pursuit along the BilbaoSantander road, and an offensive against Santander is already being prepared. General Valino has announced his intention of attacking Mount •Barcaldo. where there are many iron mines. He hopes to throw the loyalists out at Sestayo and Portugalete. on the west bank of the river.

The Daily Telegraph’s correspondent at St. Jean de Luz says the capture of Bilbao has created a situation which may be calamitous. The whole Basque army and population of five provinces are being rolled back on Santander, which normally accommodates 83,000. SHORTAGE OF FOOD

Bilbao, just before its fall, could just feed its 500,000 refugees, but could not house them all. Tens of thousands lived in the streets, and British food ships saved the city from starvation. Now there are no food ships, and the tens of thousands of people who are rushing to Santander, which could not feed them even in normal times, are already starving. The British United Press correspondent says engineers began the erection of a temporary bridge over the river Nervion, and are repairing the cable, telephone, water and lighting services. The soldiers are removing bodies from railway tunnels, dark alleys and cellars, presumably those of executed people. Thousands of refugees are now returning. DEFENDERS STIMULATED RESISTANCE AT MADRID 1 t ' MEDIATION NOT CONTEMPLATED LONDON, June 21. (Received June 21, at 5.5 p.m.) The Madrid correspohdent of the Daily Telegraph states that the news of the fall of Bilbao only stimulated the defenders of Madrid, who declare themselves determined to die to the last man.

Senor del Vayo, speaking at Albacete, said that no attempts at fnediation would be tolerated. Any Spanish Government which considered it would not last 24 hours. The struggle would be long, but if the non-Span-ish fighters were removed from the combat it would not last a month. The British United Press correspondent at Bilbao says half a dozen journalists were really the first to enter the city. They slipped ahead of the insurgent army, crossed the Nervion and walked down the streets. They found no Basque soldiers, but only civilians, who welcomed them. Airmen report that the retreating Basque army is now about seven miles to the west. ENTHUSIASTIC GREETINGS FRANCO AND MUSSOLINI LONDON, June 20. (Received June 21, at 5.5 p.m.) The Rome correspondent of The Times says that General Franco sent a telegram of enthusiastic greetings to Signqr Mussolini. General Franco has received congratuiations from Germany, Italy. Portugal and South America.