CATALONIA
THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 17, 1939.
DEFIANT
Civil War Not Drawing To Its Close
WOMEN PARADE
UNDER SHOWER OF BOMBS
Barcelona, To-day.
As Franco's bombers roared over Barcelona yester- day, several hundred women marched de- fiantly through refugees who filled the streets of the city, exhorting the population to stand firm.
The women carried banners bearing such slogans as "Fortify Catalonia” and “Defend Catalonia to the Death."
Five bombers dropped twenty huge bombs on the
sea,
NAZI SALUTE IS
SLAVE SIGN
The raised arm salute proudly exchanged by German Nazis Ita- linn Fascists, and their Dictators, is actually the salute given in an- cient times by slaves exclusively! Fascist salute was. introduced in Italy by poet D'Annunzio, who is believed to have adopted it from an old Roman statue salut- ing with upraised, arm.
If D'Annunzio had consulted students of history he would have known that in the ancient Rome, the spirit of which Mussolini wants to bring back, free men greeted one another by shaking hands.
Only the "slave caste" gave the arm salute.
port area, about half of which fell into the HUNGARIAN
but four struck the working class section of the city, wounding five people.
SITUATION IN SYRIA WORSENS: TWO RESIGNATIONS
Damascus, To-day.
Loufti Haffar, Minister of Fin- ance, and Fayez Theury, Minister of Public Works, have resigned from the Syrian Government.
Five Republican pursuit planes MINISTER'S TALKS
drove the raiders. off after a spec- tacular battle.
WITH NAZIS
FIRST SHOTS IN NEW IRISH CAMPAIGN
London, To-day.
Sir Dawson Bates, Northern Ire- land Minister for Home Affairs, re- ferring to the issue of a proclama- tion by the so-called "Irish Repub- lican Government and the Irish Republican Army," claiming that a Republic of Ireland is in existence, declared that the recent outrages on the border of Northern Ireland were doubtless the first shots in the campaign.
The Government of Northern Ireland was compelled to intern
Irish leaders of the
Republican
Army.
Sir Dawson Bates added that his Government would mot be deferred Meanwhile the Republican
from doing its duty and would not forces, who were flung back from
shrink from exercising its powers. Tarragona, have occupied pre-
BERLIN, TO-DAY.
If necessary, it would seek addi- HERR HITLER, ACCOMPAN- viously prepared positions on low
tional powers for the purpose hills barring the main road east IED BY THE NAZI FOREIGN restraining the criminal activities of towards Vendrell, fifteen miles fur- MINISTER, HERR VON RIBBEN- unlawful associations and stamping ther up the coast..
•
It is learned that Count Csaky will not sign the Anti-Comintern Pact in Berlin, but will probably do so in Budapest.
TROP, YESTERDAY AFTER- NOON RECEIVED COUNT "NOT TO DESTROY”.
CSAKY, THE HUNGARIAN FOR- Meanwhile, a message from Gen-EIGN MINISTER. eral Franco urges the Catalans to
The visit is the first step in ne- lay down their arma in view of the "Inevitability of a Nationalist vic-gotiations which Count Csaky will have with principal leaders of the Haffar, in a letter announcing tory." his resignation, declares he has The message, which was broad-Reich to examine all questions con- taken the step as a protest: cast from Nationalist nadio stations, cerning the two countries. against the French Government's added: "We are marching against failure to ratify the recently con- Catalonia not to destroy but to save cluded Franco-Syrian Treaty of her." Independence.
There were further demon-ROME PRESS SPREADS' ITSELF
The latest big success: of the: A two-hour conversation between strations against the Govern- ment yesterday, and 15,000 insurgent troops causes Italian Count Csaky and Herr von Ribben- school children marched through papers to accuse France in her trop in the morning was "very the bazaars.
attitude towards Republican Spain. friendly and very general." Shopkeepers were obliged to
The Paris correspondent of close their stalls, while some "Messagero" reported yesterday. windows were broken. Reuter. rumours that "the French Govern- CABINET MAY RESIGN ment will send regular French Damascus, To-day. army divisions to Republican The Cabinet met here yesterday Spain!" "Piccolo," too, prints Ribbentrop took special pains
allay any disappointment Hungary morning to consider the future these rumours. policy to be pursued towards "Messagero", points out that might feel over the Vienna decision such a decision by the French Gov-in regard to the Czech-Hungarian It would appear that the Cabinet ernment would
be a step of the frontier arbitration. was faced by two alternatives, greatest importance suitable to namely, either of proclaiming pas-"precipitate events." sive resistance to the French au- The thorities immediately or else of awaiting the promised report of the High Commissioner.
Under these circumstances, poli- tical circles expect that the Cabinet will resign.
France.
Meanwhile, all shops continue to remain closed and the principal streets are patrolled by armed police.
Demonstrations by Syrian youth commenced in the early hours of yesterday. Trans-Ocean.
WEA THER MAY
IMPROVE
"ANTI-COMINTERN BANQUET"
von It is understood that Herr
to
The question of German minori- ties in Hungary was also touched
of
as the out outrage and murder means of achieving political ends. -Reuter.
ROOSEVELT MESSAGE ON S.C.A.
Washington, To-day.
Congress
A special message to from President Roosevelt recom- the mends a wide expansion of Social Security Act.
It advises the commencement of payment of old age pensions at an earlier date, and also the liberal- isation of pensions, greater-pro- tection for dependent children, ex- tension of unemployment and old age protection and increases in Federal grants to States.-Reuter.
WANG CHING-WEI AGAIN
Wang Ching-wei is back in the to be on, as well as economic questions news. paper believes it
Chinese reports, quoting, a “re- "certain" that the French Govern-relating to the Danube Basin. ment has already "ordered increas- The Hungarian Minister yester-liable source," state that the for- of the ammunition day gave a luncheon in honour of mer Deputy Chairman cd supplies of arms, and foodstuffs to the Spanish Re-Count Csaky at which the Italian Kuomintang has already left Indo-China, publicans."
Ambassador and several German Haiphong, French Ministers, including Dr. Funk, Eco- where he proceeded from Hanoi. nomics Minister, were present. An Wang is now said to have "anti-Comintern banquet" was giv-boarded a French steamer last en last night by Herr von Ribben- week and to be now on the way
to Europe.
NOT THE END
"Once again those who think the war is drawing to a close will be proved mistaken,” declares a state- ment issued by the Spanish Em- bassy in London.
The statement says: "The latest enemy advances have hardly diminished either the effectiveness or the fighting capacity of the Re- publican Army.
The Spanish Government solemnly assert that in spite of The Royal Observatory reports strong, intervention by foreign in- that the anticyclone is stationary: fantry; excellently armed, and the over North China, Japan and the effort the totalitarian powers are neighbouring seas; pressure-^ re- making at the present moment to maining highest to the north of destroy the Spanish Republic, the Shantung.
Spanish people will resist heroical- ly until they defeat the final aims or of the invader and his Spanish-
allies."-Reuter and Trans-Ocean,
Local forecast:-N.E. winds, moderate; cloudy with drizzle mist improving later,
trop.-Reuter.
DUCE'S MOUTHY MOUTHPIECE ON NATIONAL HONOUR
Rome, To-day.
A violently anti-French tone again pervades the Italian press. Signor: Gayda, mouthpiece of Signor Mussolini, writing in "Giornale d'Italia," accuses the French of provocation, and says that things havo: + come to the point between France and Italy where not only a dispute, about treaties is involved but also, a question of national honour..
"The French," he says, "obstinately insist on insulting Italy by hos- tile manifestations, although they have been warned what may be the consequences."---Reuter..