AN APPALLING PICTURE

Wairarapa Daily Times, 21 August 1936, Page 5

AN APPALLING PICTURE

OF SPANISH CIVIL WAR PEOPLE COLLECTIVELY INSANE. Press Association Electric Teleernnh—Conyrighl LISBON, Thursday. An appalling picture of the civil war is painted by Arthur Portela, one of the best knoAvn of Portuguese journalists, who has just returned from an extensive tour of North Spain. He says the people have become collectively insane. Many Avho Avere apparently normal havm turned into ferocious killers. The death hymn of the Foreign Legion, whose flag is a Avhito skull and crossbones on a black background, is the most popular. Senor Portela expects the Avar to account for 250,009 victims before it is ended. He considers that it is not merely a political struggle, but a conflict between ancient races Avliich havrn never amalgamated.

GERMAN STEAMER FIRED ON.

POLITICAL CIRCLES EXCITED,

BERLIN, Thursday.

German resentment due to the Spanish Government’s failure to hand over the impounded Lufthansa aeroplane is intensified by a naval incident outside Spanish territorial Avaters. The Spanish Government cruiser Libertad fired three times upon the German steamer Kamerun, en route to Genoa with refugees, and stopped and searched her Avith the assistance of a Spanish submarine, compelling her to abandon her intention of going to Cadiz for additional refugees. Germany is preparing an emphatic protest. Political circles are seething Avith excitement OA r er the Kamerun incident, Avhicli, according to the German Official News Agency, occurred 74 miles off the Spanish coast, constituting an outrageous and intolerable breach of international law, further revealing the Madrid Government’s utter lack of authority. A full report of the incident Avas immediately telegraphed to Herr Hitler, Avhose reaction is anxiously aAvaited. A very strong protest to Madrid is certain, and it Avill probably be accompanied by a demand for an indemnity, but it is also expected that Herr Hitler Avill decide to send more German warships to Spain. The "Deutsche Allgemeine Zcitung" points out that the Libertad is a cruiser Avhose creAV mutinied at the beginning of the civil Avar, and murdered and threAv overboard all their officers. "We have therefore to deal," it says, "Avith a ship manned by mutineers and pirates." ENERGETIC GERMAN PROTEST. (Received Friday, 10.15 a.m.) BERLIN, Thursday. A communique states that the. Charge d’Affaires at Madrid has been instructed to make a protest in the most energetic terms regarding the Kamerun. incident, and to say that Germany will hold the Spanish Government responsible for all consequences of similar incidents. German Avarships have been instructed to protect German shipping by every possible means. OBJECT OF STOPPAGE. (ReceiA’ed Friday, 10.15 a.m.) LONDON, Thursday. It is understood that the stopping of the. Kamerun ay as designed to prevent breaking the blockade of certain coastal areas declared by the Spanish Government. Britain is asking for a definition of the exact scope of the blockade. WILL BE ANSWERED BY FORCE. (Received Friday, 9.50 a.m.) BERLIN, Thursday. Rear-Admiral Carls, aboard the Deutschland, cruising off Malaga, sent a Avirelcss message to the commanders of Spanish Avarships, stating that attacks on German vessels outside the three miles limit will be ansAvered by force. It is officially stated at Berlin that the Kamerun carried no Avar material. NATIONS’ INTERVENTION. WOULD MEAN CONFLAGRATION. LONDON, Thursday. Speaking at Cromer, the First Lord of the Admiralty, Sir Samuel Home, said: "To take sides in the Spanish faction fight Avould mean, inevitably, another Peninsular War, this time Avith a great body of Spaniards against us. It Avould mean a conflagration that Avould spread from one. end of Europe to the other. Let us make it clear that avo are not going to embark on so hazardous a policy. ’ ’ DESTINATION OF AIRCRAFT. MINISTRY’S DECISION. (Received Friday, 10.15 a.m.) LONDON, Thursday. The Rio Tinto miners have arrived at Plymouth. They deny that they Avere held as hostages, and declare that they Averc detained for their own safety. The Air Ministry announces that any pilot convicted of making a false Customs declaration in respect of the destination and other particulars of aircraft, Avill risk the cancellation or suspension of the pilot’s license. The: Hawker Aircraft Company, commenting on the report that an English ’plane brought down by the rebels Avas a Hawker Fury, has issued a statement that a number of Furies Avere supplied to the Spanish Government six months ago in the normal course of business. GENERAL SMUTS’ VIEWS. (Received Friday, 10.15 a.m.) DURBAN, Thursday. General Smuts, intervieAved, declared that the Spanish crisis Avas not only dangerous in itself, but is tho product

of the breakdown of League co-opera-tion in the Italo-Abyssinian -dispute. He was sure the Spanish situation was connected with this. Italy had created a situation with the conquest of Abyssinia which was the gravest concern to 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 their views on ways of tackling economic problems and the problems of armaments and 'peace, which had become so ominous. LOYALISTS LAND AT MAJORCA. (Received Friday, 10.0 a.m.) , ' LONDON, Thursday. A Barcelona message says that the Government forces again landed at Majorca, despite resistance from rebel aircraft, and managed to penetrate some distance inland. A message from Burgos states that the rebels claim that the air force just outside Madrid revolted against the. Government. At Barcelona, the. Catalan Government has taken the vital step of establishing the virtual independence of Madrid in Government matters and foreign affairs. It also declared the Ford Motors an auxiliary war industry. It is reported from Hendaye. that the San Marco fort demolished the rebel battleship Espana’s funnel with the first shot, causing a hurried departure for Fcrrol.