GRIM CHRISTMAS DAY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 306, 28 December 1936, Page 7

GRIM CHRISTMAS DAY

MADRID UNDER FIRE NO HOLIDAY OBSERVED ATTACK FROM NORTH [By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright] LONDON, Dec. 25. Christmas Day proved very grim for the population of Madrid, who awoke to the sound of gunfire from the rebel batteries, which opened a heavy bombardment north of the city at daybreak. The Government artilery replied. The Government issued orders that Christmas Day should not be observed as a holiday, and consequently the population is carrying out its customary tasks.

An insurgent communique issued at Avila states that the Government bombed Merida and Badajoz, 25 persons being killed and 48 wounded. General Miaja, who is directing the defence of Madrid, states that 20,000 German soldiers have disemberked in Spain since the meeting of the League of Nations on December 20. He adds that the Germans are distributed on all fronts.

GENERAL FRANCO’S REPLY SOVIET AMBASSADOR’S CONTEMPT LONDON, Dec. 24. What the Italian Ambassador, Signor Grandi, described as "a kind of recurrent fever” prompted the Soviet Ambassador, M. Maisky, to launch a volley of contemptuous comments at General Franco's reply to the NonIntervention Committee's suggestions for supervision in Spain. M. Maisky, after pointing out that the Spanish Government's reply properly emphasised the Government's legitimacy and its right to procure arms to suppress the revolt, said that General Franco on the contrary merely said that he would continue to study the committee's communications. That reply was a compound of folly and insolence. "Despite the recent great deterioration in diplomatic manners," said M. Maisky, “there are limits to endurable discourtesy and insolence, and General Franco's Note overstepped them. Peace in Spain would be nearer and peace in Europe less endangered if the committee took a firmer stand with General Franco and his protectors.”

IRISH COMMANDANT TURNED BACK ON FRONTIER O’DLFFV RESENTS HIS ARRIVAL LONDON, Dec. 24. Lack of co-operation between the Irish leaders eager to assist the Spanish rebels has resulted in the return to Cork of Commandant E. J. Cronin, the Blue Shirt, leader, after a futile attempt to join General Franco's forces. Much to his amazement, frontier guards at Elvas, on the border of Spain and Portugal, manifested hostility and refused to let him pass, after he had been told in Lisbon that General O’Duffy resented his coming Spanish authorities suggested that he should co-opcrate with General O’Duffy’s brigade, but General O’Duffy did not reply to his communications and he therefore recovered his passport, which had been seized by the Portuguese secret police, returned to Lisbon, and wrote to General Franco apart from General O’Duffy’s organisation. The matter is still is abeyance. Dr. James Burke, a companion of Commandant Cronin, was also turned back to the border.

CONTROL EFFORTS j LITTLE PROGRESS PRESS DISAPPOINTMENT [ British Oflic'al Wireless. J RUGBY, Dec. 24. Disappointment is expressed in the newspapers at the terms of the Nonintervention Committee’s communique, which shows little progress 1 towards the establishment of an : agreed system of international supervision over Spanish frontiers and ports. Conditions, criticisms, and reservations are attached by Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Russia to their replies to the request of the French and British Governments that, they cooperate in the first place in ending foreign intervention and later in mediating between the parties to the Spanish conflict in order to obtaip their consent to an armistice. The Anglo-French proposals for the supervision of imports of arms, munitions, and volunteers have been placed before the rival parties in Spain, but have been met at Burgos with a series of questions which the Press regards as designed to waste time rather than produce constructive replies. The Spanish Government’s reply accepting the proposals in principle but reserving the right to reject them either wholly or in part is also regarded as unhelpful. The Times says: “The replies of the Spanish rivals do not matter nearly so much as the intentions of the three major Powers whose answer to the committee is now awaited. If they prefer to continue to back their political fancies in Spain they may do more than prolong the Spanish conflict. They may, indeed, extend it. “As many foreigners as Spaniards are believed to have fallen in the defence of Madrid during the past month. That the vast majority of Germans,’Russians, and Italians now engaged in the Spanish massacre have not gone there against the wishes of their Governments admits of no doubt. First to seal up the Spanish conflict and then to bring pressure to bear for peace is the sole course by which any outside Power can hope to profit.”