FEARS OF CARNAGE

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 459, 17 June 1937, Page 5

FEARS OF CARNAGE

DOOMED BILBAO Rebels Demand Surrender Press Association—Copyright. Rome, June 16. Slowly but surely General Franco is, securing a s’rar.glehold on Bilbao. Not a scrap of news has come to-day direct from Bilbao. All communications apparently are cut, but the French Consul, who arrived at St. Jean de Luz, said that Bilbao was virtually surrounded by insurgents, and the plight of the population was hourly becoming graver. The public services were disorganised. Insurgent planes dropped thousand leaflets over Bilbao, sighed by Geneilil Franco and saying: “If you persist death and destruction await you. Those who surrender thir arms will be unharmed, provided they have not committed crimes," A radio station at Durengo warned Basques to- avoid the streets and not to be tempted to make a general exodus to the west, which would inevitably lead to panic and carnage. A Salami.nca report claims that of 8000 Basques cut off by General Vilido’s forces 6000 Surrendered.