NO RESISTANCE TO FRANCO

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 157, 29 March 1939, Page 9

NO RESISTANCE TO FRANCO

Republicans Order Demobilization MADRID EVACUATION STARTS Nationalists At Outskirts Of City By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received March 28, 11.30 p.m.) LONDON. March 28. Reports from Burgos state that the nationalists claim to have reached tiie outskirts of. Madrid. Senor Nelrio. a member of the Defence Council, in a broadcast today, declared that the evacuation of the city had begun. The Defence Council has ordered demobilization of all recruits and recruiting centres. This order is regarded as confirmation of the belief that the republicans do not intend to resist General Franco’s entry. The Defence Council is expediting the evacuation of those whose lives

are endangered because of their political opinions. A Valencia message states that the President of the Defence Council. General Miaja. and General Matallana and General Menedez have arrived there.

It is stated that General Miaja’s visit does not imply his permanent departure from Madrid. Despite the absence of official announcements it is believed that his visit is because of the necessity of con-

suiting operative departments of the Government about arranging for handing over of the republican zone to General Franco. Villages Occupied. It is officially announced from Burgos that the nationalists have occupied Almaden and also Villanueva de Cordoba. Their success may be partly because of the reported instruction from Valencia to the loyalists on this front to retreat without bloodshed. Only one militant group disobeyed these orders. The nationalists are reported to have crossed the republicans’ fortifications between Puerto Calatraveno and Penarroya, but were held up at concrete-lined trenches and galleries in the Pedroches Valley. On the Andalusian front the nationalists have advanced to Estremadura. A nationalist communique issued in Salamanca claims that the troops have advanced to a depth of 25 miles on the Cordoba front. It adds that entire battalions of republicans, including their officers, hoisted the white flag. Prisoners and deserters already exceed 10,000. The nationalists also claim that they captured large quantities of arms and material, including several artillery batteries.