DESPERATE COUP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 March 1939, Page 6

DESPERATE COUP

CARRIED OUT BY REDS IN MADRID SEVERE MEASURES ADOPTED BY AUTHORITIES. COLONEL CASADA’S APPEAL. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. 'Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) MADRID, March 7. A section of the Republican troops, revolting against the new Defence Council, raided the northern part of the city, firing from motor-cars. Loyal troops returned the fire. Severe measures are being adopted to wipe out this opposition.' Colonel Sasado, is a broadcast speech, said the Communists had carried out a desperate coup d'etat since dawn and he appealed to the tricked soldiers to change sides and support the Defence Council. SILENT RADIO SEIZURE JBY COMMUNISTS ASSUMED. (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) BURGOS, March 7. Reports state the Madrid radio has been silent tor an hour. It is assumed that Communists have seized the station. “THE WHOLE TRUTH” BROADCAST BY SENOR BESTEIRO. REPUBLIC DECAPITATED. (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) LONDON, March 7. “The Times” Gibraltar correspondent says Senor Juliano Bes.teiro, Foreign Secretary of the Defence Council, broadcast “The whole truth from Madrid. He declared that long before the Ebro campaign, the Loyalist Government was unreliable. President Azana’s resignation decapitated the entire Republic, which lacked legal powers enabling the election of a new President. Consequently chaos succeeded the two years’ gallant campaign. Dr- Negrin merely relied on a possible world catastrophe to save Spain when her salvation was in her own hands. Colonel Cipriano Omera censured the Negrin Governriient for transferring treasure to France and fleeing thither. The loss of Catalonia was the result of treachery. A Paris message states that Dr Negrin has left for Switzerland. j P.EACE PROSPECTS.

HOPE OF QUICK ARMISTICE. . (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) LONDON, March 7. It is believed that prospects of peace in Spain are increasing. Senor Besteiro informed England and France that he is doing his utmost to obtain a quick armistice. General Miaja is fully in agreement. MISSION TO BURGOS. (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) PARIS, March 7. According to the “Petit Parisien,” a Republican officer, believed to be Colonel Casado, has gone to Burgos from Madrid to negotiate an armistice with General Franco. PENALTY OF QEATH. SUSPENSION OF TRAFFIC IN MADRID. (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) LISBON, March 7. Radio listeners state that they heard Colonel Casado broadcast a decree in Madrid prohibiting all traffic in the streets under penalty of death. PACT NOT NEEDED. FRANCO’S REPORTED ATTITUDE. (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) BURGOS, March 7. A Nationalist broadcast stated that General Franco does not need a pact of surrender. He will sweep to the Mediterranean and not allow a single condition. “The great hypocritical democracies” can keep thejr humanir tarian manoeuvres to themselves. MIAJA BROADCASTS ' FIGHTING FOR VANISHED GOVERNMENT. DESIRE TO END WAR HUMANELY. (Received This Day, 11.25 a.m.) MADRID, March 7. The situation is not yet normalised, but the Communist strongholds have been localised. General Miaja, broadcasting, said: “There has been some fighting for a non-existent Government since Spain’s ex-Cabinet went to France. The Defence Council desires to end the war humanely and honourably.”

REFUGEES IN MOROCCO. (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) ALGIERS, March 7. Seven vessels, with 210 Spanish refugees and 50 naval officers, were refused permission to land at Oran and were ordered to proceed to Mers el Kebir. REPUBLICAN LEADERS. PICKED UP AT SEA. (Received This Day, 11.25 a.m.) ALGIERS March 7. Fourteen Republicans seeking refuge from Barcelona were landed from the Danish steamer Ulysse, which picked them up at sea, where they were drifting in a motor launch. They claim that they hid in woods for a fortnight after the fall of Barcelona. ■ ARRIVALS BY AIR. (Received This Day. 11.25 a.m.) TOULOUSE. March 7. Twenty-four Republican leaders, including General Cisneros and Modesto, and Colonel Lister, arrived by air. REPUBLICAN NAVY. SHIPS MOORED AT BIZERTA. (Received This Day. 11.25 a.m.) BIZERTA. March 7. A concentration camp is being prepared for four thousand members of

the Republican Navy. The fleet, moored in the b al- riour, consists of the Miguel Cervantes, Libertad, Mendez, Nunez, Jorge Juan, Almirante Antequera, Almirante Valdes, Gravina, Escano, Lepanto and Antequeravaldes. BRITISH POLICY. UNITED STATES INFORMED. (Received This Day, 10.22 a.m.) RUGBY, March 7. Mr Chamberlain, in the House of Commons, said the United States was kept informed of Britain’s views regarding the recognition of General Franco. The cruiser Devonshire has been ordered to Gandia for the protection of British interests, in view of uncertainty regarding conditions in the Republican zone, following on Senor Negrin’s supersession by the Council of Defence. COMMUNISTS BOMBED. (Received This Day, 12.40 p.m.) MADRID/ March 7. A broadcast communique states that Republican war planes bombed Communists on the outskirts of Madrid.