CLIMAX OF HORROR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 101, 30 April 1937, Page 7

CLIMAX OF HORROR

BOMBING OF GUERNICA

Fate Of Defenceless Citizens FEELING IN BRITAIN LONDON. April 28. The executive of the British Labour Party passed a resolution: “That the sufferings of the Spanish people have passed the climax of horror and shame in the criminal bombing of Guernica by German ’planes under the command of the rebel generals, and that British Labour denounces the outrage on the defenceless, for which there is no shadow of military reason or excuse, as an outrage to humanity. and violation of the principles of civilisation.” The party requests the British Government, through the League of Nations. to examine the whole problem of bombing open towns and the indiscriminate slaughter of non-combat-ants. “His Majesty’s Government deeply deplores the bombardment of the civilian population in the Spanlsn civil war, wherever it may occur and whoever may be responsible. The Government will continue to examine whether further steps are possible to prevent a recurrence of such deplorable events.” This statement was made in the House of Commons by the Foreign Secretary, Mr Anthony Eden, in answer to a question by private notice of the Opposition Leader arising out of the reports of the aerial bombardment on Monday by Spanish insurgent aeroplanes of Guernica. numbers of supplementary questions followed Mr Eden’s answer, some being inspired by partisan sympathy for one side or the other, but all showin*; profound horror at the cruelties which the continuation of the civil war is inflicting on numberless innocent Spaniards in territories on both sides.

Mr Eden reiterated the regret of the Government at the bombing of civilians and their desire to see an end put to it by agreement between the two sides in Spain. He was able to inform the House that both sides had now, on the initiative of His Majesty’s Government, given assurances of their intention not to resort to the use of poison gas as a weapon in the civil war.

GUERNICA MYSTERY INSURGENTS’ DENIALS THE BASQUES PUZZLED INDIGNATION WIDESPREAD LONDON, April 28. The mystery of the destruction of Guernica is deepened by official denials that insurgent’planes participated in the raid. A communique invites journalists to verify the claim by inspecting the records. The Basques are puzzled to explain the attack ow*ng to the strategic unimportance of Guernica, but believed the insurgents hoped to shake the defenders’ morale by destroying the “holy city.” President Aquirre, in a proclamation from Bilbao, makes “passionate ate and burning protest” against the suggestions that Guernica and Eibar were destroyed by the Republicans. “German aeroplan ?s bombe'i the defenceless civil population with unexampled savagery. I ask the civilised world, can it countenance the extermination of a people who have always regarded the def?nce of liberty and democracy as a most precious principle.” The repercussions of the raid have roused indignation throughout Europe. English and French opinion and official quarters are deeply concerned. Germany angrily domes reports that German bombers were responsible.

BOMBED GUERNICA EYE-WITNESS’ ACCOUNT TYPES OF GERMAN ’PLANES. Received April 30, 12.5 a.m. LONDON, April 29. The Times’ Bilbao correspondent says that General Franco’s denial of any knowledge of the destruction of Guernica has not created astonishment here, as a similar, but less terrible, bombing of Durango was denied by the Insurgents. “In the presence of British eyewitnesses I have spoken to hundreds of homeless and distressed people,” the correspondent writes. “They all give precisely the same description of events. I have seen and measured enormous bombholes in Guernica which, when I passed through the town on the previous day, I can testify were not there. Moreover, unexploded German aluminium incendiary bombs were found marked “Rheindorf Factory, 1936.” “The types of German aeroplanes were Junker heavybombers, Heinkel medium-bomb-ers. and Heinkel chasers. I myself, when sheltering in a bombhole, was machine-gunned by six returning chasers. “According to statements made by German pilots captured at Orchandiano at the beginning of the insurgent offensive in April, German ’planes were manned entirely by German pilots. Nearly all the crews for German -planes left Germany in February.** LOYALISTS RETREATING MORALE MUCH IMPROVED Received April 30. 12.5 a.m. BILBAO, April 29. The loyalists, retreating from Durango to prepare defences, are showing greater steadiness than during the previous four days, when their morale was shaky. The improvement is attributed to the effect of the destruction of Guernica