DESULTORY FIRING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19099, 21 August 1936, Page 5

DESULTORY FIRING

IRUN AND SEBASTIAN DAMAGE TO WARSHIP CONFIDENCE OF FRANCO PLAN TO TAKE .MADRID (Klee. T«l. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Aug. 21, noon) LONDON, Aug. 20. Reports from Spain stale that, desultory firing continued in the neighbourhood of linn and Sail Sebastian all night, but, thus far no attempt, has been made to renew the- attack, on Barcelona. The Catalan Government lias dismissed all judges, magistrates and court, clerks and is appointing new ones. It is also making a clean sweep of" suspects from the Government departments. Three more officers have been court- martialled. The Catalan Government has taken the vital step of establishing its virtual independence of Madrid in government matters and foreign affairs. It also lias declared the Ford motor works In he an auxiliary war industry.

It is reported from llendaye that the San .Marco fort demolished a funnel of the rebel battleship Espana with a first shot, causing the precipitate departure of the vessel for Ferrol.

A Barcelona message says that Government forces again landed ui Majorca, despite resistance from rebel aircraft and managed to penetrate for some distance inland. AIR FORCE INSURRECTION

A message from Burgos states that, the rebels claim that the. air force just outside Madrid revolted against, the Government.

A Paris message says that a rebel aeroplane is reported to have sunk a Government submarine.

General Mola has telegraphed to General Dellano that he does not need further reinforcements, as he is aide to .crush Madrid within a week, but it is generally expected that the rebels will not yet advance. Even if Madrid is taken they will have the utmost difficulty in subduing Catalonia, which is prepared to proclaim an independent. republic.

General Dellano has threatened to shoot Government hostages if tlie Government carries out its threats to shoot rebel hostages. The Rio ’Pinto miners have arrived at Plymouth from Spain. They deny that they were held as hostages, and declare that they were detained for their own safety. CONNECTION SEEN BREAKDOWN OF LEAGUE GENERAL SHUTS’ REVIEW SITUATION DEEMED GRAVE (Reed. Aug. 21, 12 noon) DURBAN, Aug. 20. General Jan Smuts, in an interview, declared that the Spanish crisis was not only dangerous in itself, but was a product of the breakdown of the League co-operation in the Italo-Abyssiniun dispute. lie was sure that the Spanish situation was connected with it. Italy, be said, bad created a situation with the conquest of Abyssinia which was of gravest concern to the Mediterranean Powers.

If France and Britain acted together, the Mediterranean would be safer for both.

General Smuts again pleaded for an informal conference of European Powers to exchange views on ways of tackling economic problems and problems of armaments and peace which had become so ominous. COLLECTIVELY INSANE FEROCIOUS KILLERS APPALLING picture

LISBON, Aug. 20.

An appalling picture of the civil wav is painted by Senor Artliuv l’ortela, one of the bcst-lcnown Portuguese journalists, who has just returned from an extensive tour of northern Spain.

He says the people have become collectively insane, many apparently normal having turned ferocious killers. The death hymn of the Foreign Legion, whose flag is a white skull and crossbones on a black background, is most popular. Senor Portela expects the war to account for 250,000 victims before it is ended. He considers it. is not merely a political struggle, but a conflict between ancient races who have never amalgamated. LABOUR PARTY INTEREST FORE!<IN OFFICE VISIT (British Official Wireless.) Heed. 10 a.m. RUGBY, Aug. 19. Air. Arthur Greenwood, M.l'., and Sir Waller Citrine, accompanied by Labour Party and trade union officials, called at the Foreign Office to-day and had an interview with Hie Foreign Secretary, Mr. Anthony Fden, on the subject oi Ibe p resent position in Spain. A meeting of the British National Council of Labour has been convened for Tuesday next specially to consider (lie situation in Spain.