TIGHTENING CIRCLE

Evening Star, Issue 22442, 12 September 1936, Page 15

TIGHTENING CIRCLE

REBELS ADVANCING ON MADRID GOVERNMENT COUNTER ATTACKS INEFFECTIVE FIGHTING IN THAYER* REGION Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright MADRID, September 11. (Received September 12, at 1.30 a.m.) Both sides claim victories in the Talavera region, where the fighting is more important than on the Irun front, as it may prove the key to Madrid. A decisive victory would enable the insurgents to relievo Toledo, then strike across easy country to the capital. The rebels are taking care not to disclose the precise movement of troops, but the general plan appears to be to advance along the valleys of the Tagus and along the hilly ranges of the Sierra Degredos to the north. The Government is faced with evertightening encirclement, and is desperately striving to drive a wedge between the rebels on the Tagus and those operating in South Avila. Thus far the counter-attacks appear to have yielded nothing. AUSTRALIA’S ATTITUDE MR LYONS ADVISES NEUTRALITY CANBERRA, September 11. The Australian Council of Trades Unions has issued an appeal for funds to assist the Spanish Government. Hie Prime Minister (Mr J. A. Lyons) to-day advised the Australian public to remain neutral in the Spanish civil war. He added that the utmost discretion was necessary, as a dangerous international situation might arise. JOURNALISTS WARNED LONDON, September 11. (Received September 12, at 10.45 a.m.) A message from St. Jean de Luz states that energetic intervention by the French Ambassador (M. Herbette) secured the release of a French journalist (M. Maurice Leroy), who was arrested when touring San Sebastian with 30 English, French, and American correspondents. Subsequently the Governor of San Sebastian told journalists that henceforth he would take severe measures against those, personally opposing the Government;'.' At Burgos General Mol a informed foreign correspondents that he would take severe measures against journalists whose papers continued to describe his forces as rebels, and the Government forces as loyalists. NON-INTERVENTION COMMITTEE LONDON, September 11. (Received September 12, at 10.45 a.m.) The international Non-intervention Committee will be convened on Monday. TEXT OF NOTES PUBLISHED (British Official Wirclesi.) RUGBY, September 11. (Received September 12, at noon.) The French Government has now made public the text of the notes exchanged between itself and 19 of the other Governments constituting non-in-tervention. In connection with the collation of legislative and' other steps taken by the various non-interventionist Governments to give effect to the agreement which was one of the matters discussed at the first meeting on Wednesday, it is understood that a con-, siderable number of the Governments have already furnished the necessary information. A dozen or more replies are still awaited. All the representatives on the International Comihittee are co-operating to advance its work. PORTUGAL URGED TO PARTICIPATE (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 11. (Received September 12, at noon.) It is stated in London that the British Ambassador at Lisbon has been instructed to support further the representations which the French Government has caused to be made in the hope that the Portuguese Government would decide to participate in the committee’s work before next meeting. PRIEST CRUCIFIED INSURGENT ATROCITY LONDON, September 11. (Received September 12, at 11.10 a.m.) The North American Newspapers’ Alliance correspondent of Gibraltar says that Mr Joseph Mason, correspondent of the ‘ Columbus Despatch,’ returned with a shell splinter in his leg after 10 days with the anti-Government troops at Malaga. Mason describes the rebels’ entry into Elsaucejo, and seeing the parish priest, Father Pelacora, crucified on the church door, head downwards in his vestments, while his brother’s body was placed below him. \ illagcrs assert cal that the Communists dragged the priest from the pulpit, maltreated him, ail'd then crucified him. Mason says he took a photograph of the priest and handed it to General Dollano, the insurgent leader, whose troops reverently interred the body.