MARCH OF FREE SPAIN

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 378, 9 March 1937, Page 5

MARCH OF FREE SPAIN

“NEW EPOCH OPENING” RKEL PROCLAMATION. Broadcast to Government Zones. Received 10 a.m. Salamanca, March 8. "Nothing can stop us, neither Moscow’s terrorism, nor fires and massacres/’ says General Franco, in a proclamation which has been broadcast to the Government zones. "The Moscow gang can destroy our churches, but they cannot stop the destined march of free Spain. You still have time to repent. Have faith in our clemency. Those who remain in arms against us will be repulsed, without mercy. Foreigners taken prisoners with arms will be shot.” . The proclamation concludes: "Spaniards in the Red Zone: The troops of free Spain will soon be near you, and a new epoch" will open. Long live Franco!” INCREASING NUMBERS. GOVERNMENT DESERTERS Daily Ration Of Horseflesh. Press Association—Copyright. Received 10.20 a.m. Salamanca, March 8. Deserters are coming from the Government side in Increasing numbers from all parts of the Madrid front. All tell the same story—a o! food. The militia are often 48 hours without food, except for rice, black bread and an occasional sardine. They received until recently a daily ration of horseflesh and thin vegetable soup, but this fare is now a rarity. The greatest deprivation suffered by civilians in milk, for want of which many children are dying. The Nationalists have accumulated 20,000 tons of food behind the lines, ready to relieve the suffering population when the city has been entered.” RUSSIAN SHIPS CAPTURED General De Llano’s Claims. Press Association—Copyright. (Received 1.30.) Gibraltar, March General De Llano claims that insurgent warships in the Mediterranean captured two Russian ships, one full of volunteers, the other conveying war material. He says that four travelers with war material w'ere alto arrested off the north east coast. Insurgent Vessels Capture Steamer. Press Association—Copyright. London, March 7. Two armed Basque trawlers to-day captured the merchantman Yorkbrook, which allegedly contained an aeroplane and other war material, despite the fact that it was escorted by an insurgent cruiser, from which a shell killed flflve and injured five of one trawler’s crew. • The inhabitants of Bilbao watched a sea battle between a Government destroyer and several armed trawlers, merchantmen and the insurgent cruisers Canarias and Almirante Cervera. The latter seized the Spanish steamer Galdames, which the Government destroyer and trawlers were attempting to save. The cruisers sank one trawler, holed another, badly damaged the destroyer, and then departed with the Galdames, which has 140 passengers, many militiamen, and a cargo valued at £200,000, including munitions and provisions. A Gibraltar message states that in-

surgent sea forces are very active. Armed trawlers forced the Norwegian steamers Breidablik and Erica to proceed to Ceuta and discharge their cargoes of fruit.