SECRET NEWS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 December 1938, Page 7

SECRET NEWS

OF SPANISH REBEL PLANS

FOUND IN BRITISH CONSULAR BAG. ARRESTS IN SAN SEBASTIAN. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, December 20. It is reported that a package containing what is described as incriminating matter has been found by the Spanish nationalist frontier authorities at Irun in a consular bag dispatched by the British Vice-Consulate at San Sebastian to the British Embassy at St Jean-de-Luz.

It is understood that a full investigation is being made by the Spanish nationalist authorities, who are receiving the co-operation and assistance of the British authorities on the spot.

The British Vice-Consul at San Sebastian is Mr Harold Goodman. Though he nimself was carrying the bag containing the package referred to, no suggestion has been made from any quarter that he was otherwise in any way personally implicated in the incident.

A London message from the Australian Associated Press says that the incriminating matter in the bag is understood to be military information, valuable to the Spanish Republican Government. It is also revealed that the consular bag was so used for many months.

The “Daily Telegraph” says that the frontier authorities informed Mr Goodman that they had reason to believe that an irregular packet was contained in the consular bag. Mr Goodman replied that it was most unlikely, but opened the bag for a search.

Apparently the matter was placed in the bag by a person with access to the Vice-Consulate. It is understood that it contained information of Genenral Franco’s forthcoming offensive on the Segre sector in Catalonia. There have been many arrests in San Sebastian in connection with the incident, including, it is reported, several officers of General Franco’s General Staff. SPANIARD ACCUSED SAID TO HAVE PLACED PLANS IN BAG."* TWO HUNDRED PERSONS ALREADY ARRESTED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) LONDON, December 22. Apropos of the consular bag incident, the police express the opinion that a Spaniard at the British Consulate placed the plans in Mr Goodman’s bag. It is understood that they disclosed that General Franco was planning to throw half a million men into a final offensive. Already two hundred persons have been arrested and they are being courtmartialled. ANOTHER PLOT ATTEMPT TO OVERTHROW FRANCO. ALL OFFICERS CONCERNED EXECUTED. (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) x LONDON, December 22. The British United Press correspondent at Hendaye discloses another anti-Franco plot, centred on Burgos. It reported that 765 persons have been arrested and several officers, including two colonels and one major, were executed. The discovery was a sequel to raids throughout the city on December 3 and the rounding up of plotters, who were organising a military uprising, to overthrow General Franco. All the officers involved have been executed. DENIAL CHALLENGED STORY OF WELL-PLANNED REVOLT. OVER A THOUSAND ARRESTS. (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) LONDON, December 22. General Franco’s news agency in London says the reports of a revolt centred on Burgos are not true, being based on the fact that there have been numerous arrests in the frontier zone for smuggling and other illegalities. A message from Paris, however, says it is learned from a most reliable source, that the revolt which was well planned, broke out among the garrisons of Saragossa, Segovia, Pamplona, Soria and several other cities of General Franco’s Spain. Over 1000 officers and non-commissioned officers have been arrested.