FEARS FOR FATE OF MADRID

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20512, 2 September 1936, Page 7

FEARS FOR FATE OF MADRID

REBEL THOUSANDS ON MARCH POWERFUL ADVANCE ON CAPITAL LOYALISTS CONFIDENT OF DEFENCES United Press Association—By Elacwtc Telegraph—Copyright (Received September 1, 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, September 1. A rebel offensive toward Madrid in two columns aggregating 200,000 men, is marching through the province of Estremadura approaching Toledo. The Government admit the advance but are confident of stemming it and are pouring in troops on the western side of Toledo. The rebels, while maintaining pressure on San Sebastian, have resumed the intensive aerial bombing of Fort San Martial on the Irun front. The Government retaliated by bombing the insurgent hadquarters at Burgos. The situation as Guadrarrama is still static. An English Red Cross unit also a Scottish ambulance unit have reached Barcelona. The Portuguese Embassy has gone to Alicante from Madrid. The Spanish Vice-Consul in Paris and three Embassy secretaries have resigned. FOREIGN EMBASSY ANXIOUS GERMAN WITHDRAWAL ORDERED United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph —Copyright (Received September 1, 6.30 p.m.) PARIS, August 31. The German Embassy has been moved from Madrid to Alicante, on the grounds of the growing insecurity of the capital and the failure of the Government to provide adequate protection for the Embassy. America Orders Withdrawal The State Department to-day issued a final warning to Americans to evacuate Spain, indicating that the Kane incident, combined with other considerations, would probably lead to the early removal of all war vessels from Spanish waters, and the closing of the Embassy at Madrid and the Consulates in the danger zones was considered possible. HOW GOES THE STRUGGLE? RIVAL CLAIMS OF COMBATANTS United Press Association-By Electric Telegraph Copyright (Received September 1, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 31. A War Ministry broadcast from Madrid to-night claims that the Government troops farced back the rebels with 135 killed in a sharp battle in the mountains north of Madrid. The rebels claim success at Oropesa, 75 miles south-west of Madrid, which has opened up the road for an advance on the capital from the vital western a.rea of rebellion. Rebels Take Key Position The rebels unexpectedly captured Mount Buruntea, of 1,500 feet, the last great natural defence before San Sebastian. Those defending Mount Buruntea were surprised by a dawn bayonet attack after a night march. They offered little resistance to the insurgents, including the volunteer Paolino Uzcudun the ex-boxer, now a machine gunner. All the prisoners who are believed to include a number of Frenchmen were shot. Morocco’s Dangerous Move Meanwhile it is reported that hostility to the insurgents in Morocco is intensifying and Foreign Legion deserters are escaping to France. Ten non-commissioned officers were executed at General Franco’s orders when a detachment objected to go to Spain to fight their countrymen. Plight of Besieged Town. The Madrid correspondent of “The Times” says: Besieged in Alcazar de San Juan, near Toledo, for six weeks, the rebels still hold out. There is possibly 1.000 inside, including many women and children. The whole of the north front of Alcazar has been reduced to crumbling ruins by the pounding of the six inch battery. The vast underground accommodation apparently remains impervious to explosives hurled from above. SYMPATHY WITH PERSECUTED CHURCHMEN. ARCHBISHOP’S MESSAGE United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright LONDON, August 31. The Archbishop of Canterbury concurs in the advisability of keeping the fire in Spain within its borders. ’ie profoundly sympathises with the Spanish Catholic Church’s terrible ordeal. He adds that doubtless that Church may have grievous imperfections and has fallen short in its trust for the people, but let any Church without imperfections cast the first stone. Prayers must go out for the clergy and religions communities, and the nuns, suffering for the Faith in a country containing some of the world’s noblest churches. RED MILITIA FEARED REASON FOR CLOSING GERMAN EMBASSY United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph —Copyright (Received September 2, 1 a.m.) BERLIN, September 1. The German Embassy at Madrid is imperilled owing to the unreliability of the Red militia, which superseded the guard of regular police and troops

The Spanish Government, in reply to the protest, says it is unable to supply police, because none are available. “The Borsen Zeitung” declares that this is characteristic of the Government and the general situation. CHURCH FUNDS CONFISCATED REIGN OF TERROR IN MADRID United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph —Copyright (Received September 2, 1 a.m.) MADRID, September 1. The police arrested a banker, Senor Luis Muguirs, and confiscated £1,500,000 of which he was trustee on behalf of religious organisations. The people’s tribunal, sitting in the model gaol, continues sentencing to death and to long terms of imprisonment officers of the Qorabanchel garrison outside the city who revolted.