"WON THE WAR"

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXVII, Issue 9210, 21 April 1938, Page 3

"WON THE WAR"

FIGHTING THE LAST ROUNDS FRANCO'S BROADCAST. ALLEGATIONS OP MURDER. Australian and N.2.. <"ame. LONDON, April 19. In a broadcast from Burgos, General Franco stated: "We have won the war. Our forces are now fighting the last rounds in the reconquest of Spain." After extolling the achievements of his regime, he accused the Loyalists of murdering over 400,000 persons, lie declared that they would be called to account for that. General Franco reiterated his programme to provide plenty and wellpaid work for all, reformation of the Press and attraction of tourists to Spain.

The Loyalists claim to have captured 39 German and Italian pilots as the result of air battles in Eastern Spain. A Madrid message says the insurgents are fighting desperately in the foothills of the Pyrenees with the object of finally isolating Catalonia. They are throwing in artillery, tanks and aeroplanes in a battle west of Andorra, where the Republicans are reported to be repulsing them.

Rebel losses in the thrust last Friday are reported to have been 1500. Heavy fighting continues at Tortosa, the fall of which the insurgents believe to be Imminent.

A despatch from Rome says the twelfth list of Italian casualties in Spain was published to-day. It shows 204 killed on the Ebro sector since March 9.