FALL IMMINENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23717, 26 January 1939, Page 11

FALL IMMINENT

BARCELONA DOOMED THE REBELS SWEEPING ON LAST DEFENCES CAPTURED TERRIFIC BOMBARDMENT (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) BURGOS, Jan. 24. It Is officially stated that the nationalists have captured the entire Llobregat line—Barcelona’s last defence. The Moors are 10 miles from the city gates. A terrific aerial bombardment Is heralding the impending fall of the capital. TERROR FROM THE SKIES EVACUATION OF CITY ROAD TO GERONA JAMMED BARCELONA. Jan. 24. Amid the crashing of bombs, the roar of anti-aircraft guns and of General Franco’s big-guns, the city to-day began feverishly to pack up.

The Government and the army is determined to hold on to the last, but tens of thousands are fleeing. Machinery has been stripped from factories. The whole apparatus of the Central and Catalan Administration has been carted off. The road to Gerona is jammed with vehicles of all descriptions. Gerona normally has 25,000 inhabitants. It received 20,000 refugees last week, and new crowds are still pouring in. , . Officials are vainly searching for quarters in which to install the Government departments, which are being driven further north to Figuera. Some of the departments came originally from / Madrid to Valencia and thence to Barcelona, and are now on the road again after travelling 600 miles in two years. The people of Barcelona find it incredible that the battlefront, which was 100 miles away last month, is now visible from the city. Madrid could be defended because there is at least one gun to five insurgent guns, but Barcelona has probably not one to 20. It is obvious that the shallow trenches hastily dug will be of no use against massed batteries of, artillery and fleets of bombers. The nationalists have been sighted advancing swiftly on all sectors. The city is under direct artillery fire. Manresa has been occupied and Gava is completely surrounded. The troops are only three miles from the aerodrotne. Over 100 city residents were killed in air raids. The destroyer Greyhound has taken off the women members of British staffs. The cruiser Devonshire is still standing by to pick up members of the consular corps. The French Embassy is moving out. INVADERS AT THE GATES ONE MILE FROM SUBURBS LERIDA, Jan. 24. General Franco’s forces have crossed the Llobregat aerodrome and reached a point one mile from Barcelona’s suburbs. An advance was made by the Moroccan forces which have been moving along the coast road. The Nationalist batteries to-night were pounding Barcelona port. Over 2000 prisoners were taken by midday. Simultaneously with the advance of the Moroccans’ fourth division, the Navarrese crossed the Llobregat line near Martorell, south of Manresa. The advance continues. \ BRITISH POLICY RECONSIDERATION URGED (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Jan. 24. On behalf of the London Socialist Party and the London Trades Council Mr Herbert Morrison, in a letter to Mr Chamberlain, asks that in the interests of world liberty British policy regarding the Spanish civil war should be reconsidered. The British Government is making an immediate pavment of £20,000 to the International Commission for the assistance of child refugees in

Spain. This payment is an advance in respect of a further contribution to the funds of the commission, the amount of which has not yet been specified. The British Government has already given £20,000 to the funds, which have also received £25,000 from other Governments and wheat from the United States to the value of £37,000. In addition other Governments have already promised further contributions totalling £85,000, while the United States have promised to send wheat to the probable value of £60,000 for six months MR ANTHONY EDEN’S VIEWS GRAVE CONCERN EXPRESSED ißrltlsh Official Wireless; RUGBY, Jan. 24. Grave concern at the developments in Spain was expressed by Mr Anthony Eden in a speech at Coventry. General Franco, he said, was advancing on Barcelona by reason of air cower and artillery power more formidable than this civil war had yet seen. Everyone knew who provided this armament and who continued to provide it in open violation of agreements and pacts. “ The truth is that certain States, though pledged to non-intervention, are intervening on a scale they deem sufficient to ensure victory for General Franco, and declare that if France dare to do even a fraction of what they are doing they will reconsider the situation. How can dictation of that kind provide a basis for true friendship?” Mr Eden asked.