LULL IN SPAIN

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20264, 5 August 1937, Page 9

LULL IN SPAIN

REBELS CONSOLIDATING. LITTLE CHANGE AT MADRID. COUNTRYSIDE A WILDERNESS. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received August 5. 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, August 4. The Salamanca correspondent of the Times says that Nationalist Spain has lulled after the storm over Brunete, where not even a flicker of civil life Is returning. General Varela’s troops are consolidating the po-siiinn they recaptured, with a view to rendering a repetition of the Government forces’ surprise attacks impossible. The situation round Madrid was little changed by last month's lighting. Insurgent columns, operating on the Teruel front, entered the Cuenca Province, but do not intend to advance in force, contenting themselves with cleaning up and cutting off the retreat of the Loyalists, 350 of whom have surrendered. The whole countryside west of Teruel Is a wilderness of deserted camps. The bridges have been blown up, and the roads are Impassable owing to wrecked lorries. The villages are deserted, and the villagers are hiding in the pine woods. The Soviet Embassy in London states the report that Russia is prepared to modify her attitude on non-interven-tion is without foundation. FIERCE ENCOUNTER. INVASION BY REBELS. VITAL HIGHWAY THREATENED. SOME LOYALIST SUCCESSES. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Cunyrigtu MADRID, August 3. The possibility is growing of an invasion by the rebels of the Cuenca province, threatening the ValenciaMadrid highway, which is the lifeline to the capital. Tlie insurgents launched a determined attack around Carabanchel, south-west of Madrid, where the Government troops counter-attacked, driving out General Franco’s men from several positions. The loyalists claim to have repulsed the latest attacks besides doing heavy damage to convoys and concentration camps by air bombing. A fierce encounter is reported from the hill village of Dornaque, where the rebels are endeavouring to dislodge Catalonian anarchist militia from their trenches with machine-guns and bayonels. The Government Is replacing its losses, estimated by the rebels to be 300 a day, with reinforcements from Cartagena and Valencia. The loyalists report an advance in the Sclampcro sector of the Asturias front. GOVERNMENT SUCCESSES. THE REBELS DRIVEN OUT. STEAMER’S ADVENTUROUS VOYAGE United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright MADRID, Aug. 3. The insurgents launched a determined attack around Carabanchel, southwest of Madrid, which reports that Government troops counter-attacked, driving out General Franco’s men from several positions. Tlie British steamer Marion Moller, which had been ten days waiting outside Gijon, succeeded in making port with lights out while the Almirante Cervera was cruising nearby. REBEL GOVERNMENT. RECOGNISED BY VATICAN. AN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. United Press Asm —Elec. Tel. Copyrlgir LONDON, August 4. The Salamanca correspondent of the British United Press says It Is officially announced that the Vatican has recognised the Government of the Nationalist (rebel) leader, General Franco. The recognition was preceded by a visit paid by Monsignor Antoniutti to General Franco. It was agreed at that interview’ says the official announcement, to grant General Franco’s representatives at the Vatican, Don Pablo Churruca, the status of official diplomatic representative with the rank of Charge d'Affaires. The Rev. Father W. Nlchol, of Kyogle, who recently returned from Europe, in a lecture arranged by the Catholic Evidence Guild in the Austral Salon, Sydney, described General Franco as “ a delightful man, a born soldier, courageous, modest, cheerful, and well and truly deserving,” says tlie Sydney Morning Herald. DENIAL BY VATICAN. RECOGNITION NOT GIVEN. United rre«s Assn.— Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received August 5. Jf a.m.) VATICAN CITY, August 4. A communique has been issued denying that General Franco’s Government lias been recognised. It says that arrangements have not been changed. The llnlv See is still represented in nationalist Spain by the Archbishop of Toledo, but not diplomatically or officially. Monsignor Antoniutti has gone to (Continued m next column.)

Spain not for official, but rather for humanitarian, purposes, also to reconcile the Basques Catholics with General Franco. Don Pablo Churues has taken over the existing post of semi-official representative of General Franco to tha Vatican. NON-INTERVENTION PLAN. THE ATTITUDE OF RUSSIA. WITHDRAWAL OF OBJECTIONS. GRANTING BELLIGERENT RIGHTS. I ill ted Press Assn.— Elec. Tel Copyright (Received August 5. 10.5 a.m.) LONDON. August 4. It Is understood tiiat Russia is willing/ to re-consider her refusal to grant General Franco belligerent rights until all volunteers, including Moroccans, are withdrawn, but will insist that Italy and Germany definitely agree to the principle of withdrawal of volunteers and the fulfilment of the British condition that belligerent rights snail not be granted until a substantial number of volunteers are withdrawn. NON-INTERVENTION COMMITTEE. NO MEETING ARRANGED. (omclal Wireless ) (Received August 5. 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, August 4. No date has be»n fixed for the next meeting of the Non-Intervention Committee. but it is lonsidered possible that Lord Plymouth may call a meeting of the chairman's sub-committee for Friday. To-day Lord Plymouth held conversations with the French, Italian and Russian Ambassadors, and he will see the German Gharge d'Affaires tomorrow’. FRANCE URGES MODIFICATION. A FIRM LINE TAKEN. United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright PARIS, August 4. The French Foreign Minister. M. Belbos, postponed his holiday for a day in order to appeal to M. Suritz, Russian Ambassador, to urge the Soviet Government to modify its Spanish polio]. M. Deibos took a firm line, declaring that France could not support the view that Moroccans arc foreign volunteer* like Italians au<4 Germans.