ATTACKS ON SHIPPING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 June 1938, Page 7

ATTACKS ON SHIPPING

BRITISH OPINION STIRRED BY FRANCO’S DEFIANCE Need of New Policy Perceived DRASTIC ACTION THOUGHT LIKELY By Telegraph.—Press Association. —Copyright. (Received This Day, 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, June 7. The Australian Associated Press says: “A few days ago the Prime Minister (the Rt Hon Neville Chamberlain) hoped for an opportunity to make an offer for mediation in Spain, but General Franco’s ceaseless attacks on British shipping are rapidly altering the situation. The immediate issue now is thought to be that of devising measures to cope with these attacks. The latest attacks are regarded as particularly defiant and public opinion is becoming so stirred that drastic action is likely. The Government, while anxious to adhere to all phases of of non-intervention, feels that the attacks cannot be allowed to continue. “The British Ambassador to Rome, Lord Perth, conferred with Count Ciano during the weekend. It is gathered that the Italians disclaim any association with the bombing.” M. BLUM’S SURVEY. NON-INTERVENTION STILL FAVOURED, ” f THE HITLER-MUSSOLINI PROBLEM. (Received This Day, 9.15 a.m,) LONDON, June 7. M. Blum, addressing the Radical Socialist Congress said: “I still favour non-intervention and the re-establishment of control in Spain. Intervention may have consequences which I refuse to contemplate. The Government is not unanimous on this, but we shall not reply to frontier incidents, like others, by bombarding open towns.” Referring to the state of Europe, M. Blum declared: “It is useless to believe that France can settle the affairs of Europe by setting Hitler and Mussolini against each other. France must find a means of maintaining peace without permitting them to share Europe between themselves, as they are at pifjsent attempting.” j NO MILITARY OBJECTIVES. t BRITISH REPORT ON GRENOLLERS BOMBING. (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, June 7. Mr Leche, the British observer at Grenollers, has reported that there are no military objectives in the town. xv. ♦ Mr Leche stated that there are no military objectives in the centre of the town, where most of the bombs fell, although the term might be stretched to include a few factories on the outskirts and the nearby aerodrome. A high proportion of the casualties were among women and children. Over 5500 persons, mostly women and children, were killed when Spanish rebel planes bombed the market place of the little town ot Grenollers, twenty miles from Barcelona. RAIDS IN FRANCE. REGARDED AS MILITARY PROBLEM. GENERAL STAFF TAKING ACTION. (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) PARIS, June 7. A Foreign Office spokesman states that the air raids in France are no longer a diplomatic, but a military problem. The Government considers that further protests are useless and the matter now is in the hands ot tne French General Staff, which will not tolerate further incursions. M. Daladier issued a similar statement during his tour of the frontier. PRESSURE BY GERMANS. FRANCO SAID TO OPPOSE BOMBING. (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) LONDON, June 7. The British United Press Gibraltar correspondent learns from a most reliable source that the recent air raids were carried out as b°™ in S practice by German airmen. General Franco is opposed to the bombing, as he fears repercussions and feels that enough of Spam has been dama^ d > but the Germans are anxious to test out their bombers and pilots an threatened to withhold war materials unless they were allowed to bomb. RAIDS ON VALENCIA. (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) MADRID, June 7. Valencia was twice raided this morning.