FRANCO’S THREAT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 November 1938, Page 5

FRANCO’S THREAT

MAY CLOSE PORTS TO BRITISH SHIPS DISPUTE OVER REBEL VESSELS. IMPENDING APPEAL COURT JUDGMENT. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, October 31. The “Daily Herald” reports that General Franco told the British Foreign Office he will close all his ports to British shipping in the event of an adverse judgment of‘ the Appeal Court in the case of the steamer Arantzazu Mendi, which will decide the fate of 14 other rebel ships detained by Britain at the request of the loyalist Government. The demand implies the recognition of rebel Spain as a sovereign State, thus strengthening General Franco’s claim to belligerent rights.

GROSS IMPROPRIETY. DENIAL BY FRANCO’S AGENT IN LONDON. (Received This Day, 10 a.m.) LONDON October 31. “General Franco is incapable of so gross an impropriety,” states his London agent, the Duke of Alba, denying the “Daily Herald's” report that General Franco will close all his ports to British shipping in the event of an adverse judgment of the Appeal Court in the case of the steamer Arantzazu Mendu, which will decide the fate of fourteen other rebel ships detained by Britain at the request of the Loyalist Government.

MAJOR FRANCO KILLED. BROTHER OF REBEL LEADER. BURGOS, October 31. Major Ramon Franco, brother of General Franco and the commander of the seaplane base at Majorca, was killed in an air crash off the Balearics. One of his unpublished songs, “Life’s Great Sunset,” will be played at his funeral. He told a friend it was his swan song, composed when he knew several months ago that he had not long to live. The bodies of the four occupants were found floating in the wreckage of the plane, which was caught in a storm after leaving Palma.

EBRO OFFENSIVE. RESUMED BY NATIONALISTS. BARCELONA, October 31. Resuming the Ebro offensive, General Franco’s forces captured Sierra de los Caballos. Ten rebel and five loyalist aeroplanes were brought down.

CAPTURE OF HEIGHTS. ' REPORTED BY BURGOS GOVERNMENT. (Received This Day, 10 a.m.) BURGOS, October 31. General Franco’s authorities report the capture of the remaining heights on the Ebro front.