THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22985, 14 September 1936, Page 9

THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR

MOVEMENT OF REBEL TROOPS CONVERGING ON MADRID STEADILY TIGHTENING THEIR GRIP (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) MADRID, Sept 11. 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 relieve 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 ever-tightening 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. IMPENDING ATTACK ON SAN SEBASTIAN GENERAL MOLA’S THREAT FIGHTING ON THE TALAVERA FRONT LONDON, Sept. 12. (Received Sept. 13, at 7 p.m.) Heavy cannonading broke a twoday lull on the San Sebastian front. General Mola is reported to have issued a last warning of a merciless attack unless the city surrenders/ Planes have dropped pamphlets advising the civil population to leave within 48 hours. Friday’s bombardment is a warning of the storm to come. It is believed that it presages a night, advance. The Government forces defending the city outnumber the attackers, but they have no unity. Refugees to France say that the population is panic-stricken and that food supplies are becoming short. Fierce fighting is continuing on the Talavera front, the rebels making a desperate effort to break the Government’s lines and open the road to Madrid. ATTITUDE TO JOURNALISTS WARNINGS BY BOTH PARTIES LONDON, Sept. 11. 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 corre- ' spondents. Subsequently the Governor of San Sebastian told journalists that henceforth he would take severe measures against those personally opposing the Government. At Burgos General Mola informed foreign correspondent* that he would take severe measures against journalists whose papers continued to describe his forces as rebels and the Government forces as loyalists. A SHOCKING CRIME PRIEST CRUCIFIED BY REBELS LONDON, Sept. 11. 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 antiGovernment troops at Malaga. Mason describes the rebels’ entry ijfto Elsaucejo, and seeing the parish ‘ priest, Father Delacora, crucified on the church door, head downwards, in his vestments, while his brother’s body was placed below him. Villagers asserted that the Communists dragged the priest from the pulpit, maltreated him, and then crucified him. Mason says he took a photograph of the priest and handed it to General de Llano, the insurgent leader, whose troops reverently interred the body. NON-INTERVENTION COMMITTEE LONDON, Sept. 11. The International Non-interven-tion Committee will be convened on Monday. INTERCHANGE OF NOTES PUBLISHED BY FRENCH GOVERNMENT (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Sept. 11. The French Government has now made public the text of the Notes exchanged between itself and 19 of the other’Governments constituting non-intervention. 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 considerable number of the Governments nave already furnished the necessary information. A dozen or more replies are still awaited. All the representatives on the International Committee are co-operating to advance its work. PORTUGAL URGED TO PARTICIPATE (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Sept. 11. 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. NEWSPAPER CORRESPONDENT EXPELLED LIST OF ALLEGED OFFENCES LONDON, Sent. 12. (Received Sept. 13. at 5.5 p.m.) The insurgents expelled The Times photographer for visiting the front without a pass, but, according to The Times frontier correspondent, the expulsion was ordered by

insurgent headquarters at Burgos for the following reasons: —The Times was prejudiced against the insurgents. It ought not to call them insurgents, but loyalists or nationals, and it ought to call the Government supporters “ the Reds.” The Times ought not to keep a correspondent in Madrid, which was no longer the seat of Government. It ought, on the contrary, to have > a special correspondent with the national forces. The Times frontier correspondent points out that the photographer had a pass issued by the insurgents at Pamplona, and had' gone to Burgos to have it confirmed. After being lectured, he was searched, his plates were confiscated, and he was expelled to France. SAN SEBASTIAN AND TALAVERA CLAIMS AND COUNTER CLAIMS TYPHOID IN OVIEDO LONDON, Sept. 12. (Received Sept. 12, at 8 p.m.) The situation is growing tenser hourly in San Sebastian, where the 48 hours’ ultimatum to surrender expires on Sunday morning. It is believed that the ultimatum will be disregarded. Colonel Ortega, Governor of San Sebastian, said: “We can defend ourselves for weeks.’’ The flight of the panic-stricken civilians continued when rebel planes dropped the ultimatum in pamphlets. The militia endeavoured to seize them all in the streets to prevent the population reading them. The rebels are shelling Hernani, five miles from San Sebastian. Women and children have been evacuated from Hernani. The rebels claim further successes in the Talavera region. Planes are dropping pamphlets in Madrid calling on the troops -to surrender, otherwise an attack will not be long delayed. Typhoid is reported to be serious in besieged Oviedo. Refugees state that 72 died in one day. Shelling and bombing by Government forces continue. The expelled Times photographer is Mr Jack Barker. The Morning Post’s special correspondent with the insurgents was given the choice of remaining at Burgos, where his messages will be censored, or leaving Spain. He decided to leave. , HIGH-HANDED ACTION LISBON, Sept. 12. (Received Sept. 13, at 8 p.m.) The recent transfer of the Portuguese Embassy to Alicante from Madrid, it is revealed, was due to the invasion of the offices by the Government militia, who demanded that the ambassador hand over a document. When he refused the militia forced in the offices and set them on fire. A Spanish employee at the embassy was arrested, and it is understood was shot. LOYALISTS GAINING STRENGTH SIEGE OF MADRID CONSIDERED IMPOSSIBLE LONDON, Sept. 12. (Received Sept. .12, at 9 p.m.) A North American Newspaper Alliance copyright message from Toulon says that General Franco’s reported important battle for Madrid on the Talavera front was merely an outpost skirmish. His junction with General Mola’s troops at Sierra Degredos was only the meeting of mountain patrols. The rebels have, on paper, a quarter circle against Madrid from north to west, but have to dispose only 20,000 men on a 100mile front in hostile territory against vastly superior numbers. Time works for the loyalists, who are daily adding to their knowledge of warfare tactics with fierce enthusiasm. A siege of Madrid from a military point of view seems impossible. SAN SEBASTIAN DOOMED HELP IMPLORED FROM MADRID SURRENDER ON TERMS SUGGESTED LONDON, Sept. 12. (Received Sept. 13, at 9 p.m.) San Sebastian seems faced with doom. A message to Madrid imploring help was received, the reply from the capital stating that they were unable to assist, and suggesting surrender on terms. This was followed by a from Hendaye that the loyalists were evacuating the town, following the defeat of the Government militia on the Her-nani-Oyarzun sectors, after which the Foreign Legion (Terzio) troops occupied the fort of Santa Barbara, preparatory to endeavouring to enter the town on September 13 FALL OF SAN SEBASTIAN CITY EVACUATED LOOTING OF SHOPS ESCAPE OF REFUGEES LONDON, Sept. 13. (Received Sept. 14, at 1.15 a.m.) A small body of insurgents entered San Sebastian unopposed. They came from Hernani. The British United Press says that General Ortega fled, and that the city is now entirely evacuated except for Basque Nationalists, who are patrolling the streets. Anarchists fired six buildings in the industrial quarters. The Basques are fighting the Anarchists to prevent further incendiarism. The rough element looted shops in the fashionable quarter. Thousands of refugees gathered at the quays at night waiting to be embarked in yachts and boats, which the Government followers commandeered. Men mostly of fighting age pushed the women and children aside despite their tearful pleadings.