STRIFE IN MADRID

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 March 1939, Page 8

STRIFE IN MADRID

FURIOUS FIGHTING STILL IN PROGRESS COMMUNISTS REFUSE TO YIELD. FRANCO TROOPS AWAITING OUTCOME. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Receiyed This Day, 12.55 p.m.) MADRID, March 10. Far from General Miaja subjugating the Communists, a desperate battle is raging, some accounts even indicating that General Miaja is cut off from the remainder of the Republican zone. The Communists refused to implement their leaders’ promise to surrender to General Franco’s troops and are entrenched on the opposite side of the city to Canallejas Barajas, where the Republicans are bombing redoubts. The Franco forces are fortunately inactive, apparently awaiting the outcome of the internecine struggle which is playing into their hands. The Communists’ most spectacular loss was that of Hie seventeen storey telephone exchange, which has fig? ured in many accounts of the bombardments of Madrid and was further damaged in the latest encounters. The conflict in the Plaza de Manuel Becerra, which is supposed to have been settled in favour of General Miaja, engaged all available weapon’s on both sifiesqnd transformed the street into a shambles, owing to fierce hand to hand bayonet and hand grenade encounters.' Meanwhile citizens remain in fheir cellars, unable to join the food queues, while there are frenzied radio appeals, and aeroplanes are skimming over the roofs dropping pamphlets vainly urging the Communists to yield. Minor conflicts continue in the villages of Jlortalezq, Chamartin, and Camillas, north and north-east of the capital. The result is slowly swaying in favour of the Republicans. HOSTAGE RELEASED GENERAL MIAJA’S SON. MAY BE CARRYING PEACE PROPOSALS. (Received This Day, 12.55 a.m.) HENDAYE, March 10. General Franco has released General Miaja’s son, after twelve months' detention as a hostage, and permitted him to rejoin his father in Madrid, to which city he is possibly taking General Franco’s proposals. FRANCO WARNED DAMAGE TO BRITISH SHIPS. (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) LONDON, March 10. Following on Lord Halifax’s warning, it is learned reliably that Burgos has been officially informed that Britain reserves the right to take any necessary action in the event of damage to British ships.