CHILDREN RIOT IN CAMP

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 132, 21 June 1937, Page 7

CHILDREN RIOT IN CAMP

-Press Assooiatioa.)

Mass Hysteria On Hearing The News WANT TO GO HOME

(By Telegxaph-

• (Beceived 21, 11.0 a.m.) LONDON, June 20. \ Temble seene occurred at the North Stoxxeham refugpe camp when the Basque children heard the newa that Bilbao had fallen. Complete terror broke out when the refugees heard a broadcast from a van. Five hundred children, apparently seized with mass hysteria, dashed from the camp, some Stated to be armed with table-knives. Police, ambulance m$n and others rounded up many on the roads and in adjacent woods, bat 150 were still missing at 3.40 a.m., and volunteers continued their seareh throughout the night. . The authorities, believlng that there xnight bp trpuble if the news of the fall of BilbaQ waa withheld from the Basque children, broadcast a message, carefully worded to avoid shock, "We much regret to announee that the eneniy troops are now in Bilbao. It is, perhaps, small comfort to know that, by now, many of your relatives and friends will be safe ijn Santander, and for those who remain in Bilbao there is at least not now much dangey fron^bombs. We, the British people caring for you, cannot exprees too strongly our aympathy. We ask you all to remain cairn. You can rely on us to dp our best for you on behalf of your parents," - The children stoned the van when it turned on xnusic and then fled. Nearly all the children were rounded up ixx tlie morning but some of the older boys are still missing. It is learned that the whole camp was crying before the news bulletin was finished last evening. Some f ainted, otheris became hysterical, and maxiy started frantically packing their small belongxngs, The dominatin'g thought of the children who broke camp was to "go kome and help mother, ' '