Tuesday
HONGKONG TELEGRAPH
December 27, 1938, ury, bupreme Cuert
INSURGENT OFFENSIVE COLLAPSING? Armies Bogged By Snow And Mud On 100-Mile Front
LOYALISTS
LAUNCH
COUNTER-ATTACKS
HENDAYE, Dec. 25.
AT A LATE HOUR yesterday the Insurgent forces in
West Catalonia were still making every effort to break through the 100-mile Loyalist defence line on the Segre River, but the whole front has been bogged down with snow and mud.
Observers state that it is too early to prophesy what progress was made during the three-days' fighting.
According to reports from; that the Insurgenta penetrated the Burgos, the offensive advanced defences for several miles on both fronts, namely he Trempt sector, slightly less than five miles dur-where they advanced to a dominating ing the past 24 hours, taking position, and also at Montsech, near the total gains 18 to 20 kilo-the Baroniu Heights. matres during two days.
Despite Insurgent claims, it is strongly indicated that
the Loyalists are holding their own Unes in the centre urens, and that they also counter-attacked to the north, near the Tremp sector.
Insurgent troops chaplains cele- rated midnight mass in the trenches] during a brief lull, after which the uffensive resumed.
The
Loyalists elaim that they remained entrenched in all positions, un balted advances at all points.
According to a Barcelona repert, A message from the front received | the Insurgent advance has been at Burgos states that the Insurgents, "light," and confinell to the left operating in splendid sunshine, co- bank of the Segre River, with heavy tinued to advance at Trempt, in the lower Segre sectors, Occupying Insurgent casualties.
Lower positions.
Segre The report adds that the Loyalists strategic succeeded in narrowing the attack to troops, after breaking through three the Grand Sergs sector where the lines of enemy's fortifications, are fanwise in the opert big victory op: rating Insurgents claimed
country, while the envairy have been yesterday.
Both sides reported tense aerint in action, especially to the south- activity in the southern sector, with United Press. Insurgent aviation co-operating with the Infantry in spraying the Loyalist! defences, while the insurgent troops advanced.
L
LOCKED IN BATTLE
AMERICA'S TRIBUTE TO BRITISH NAVAL MEN: Officers of the Royal Navy leaving the American Embassy in London after receiving medals from Mr. Joseph Kennedy, the US. Ambasador, for their services and go-operation m assisting with the re- covery of the survivors of the American unbeat Panay when that vessel was bombed and sunk by Japanese aeroplanes in December of last year, Hight to left-Mr. Christopher Hell, who received the Distinguished Servier Metal on behalf of his father, Rear-Admiral Holt-now serving as Senior Naval Ofleer, Yallgise; Lieut.-Condr. Harry Douglas Harlow, who received the Navy Cross, Caplain George Eric Marla O'Donnell, who received the Distinguish- ed Service Medial; and Vice-Admien! Lewis Crabbe, who also received the Navy Cross,
...
FAMOUS DRAMATIST IS DEAD
PRAGUE, Dec. 25. THE DEATH is announced of Karel Capek, the well-known Czech writer and dramatist, at the age of 48.—Reuter.
Karel Capelt, famous Czech author and dramatist, was born in January, 1800, fr a smali Bohemian town where his father was a docter. After studying at the Universities of Prague, Berlin and Paris he joined the staff of the "Lidove Noviny" of which he became literary editor.
Capek was producer at the Municipal Theatre in Prague after the war. His first work as a fiction writer was done in collaboration with his eldest brother, Joseph, the painter. His first play was "The Robber" and ther game onother written along with his brother, "Love's Sport with Destiny"",
1 1921 Capek's great play "R.U.R." was produced at the Czech National Theatre, establishing him as one of the foremost living dramatists. It travelled all over the world,
"R.U.R." envisaged a time when humanity had evolved an army of perfect mechanical men, the "Robots", to do the work of their hunan inventors. The Robols did this so well that they completely usurped their creators. The word "Robot" passed into every language. It was a forecast of the Nazl theory of the mission in life of the individual-a mere cog in the State machine.
PESSIMISTIC SATIE
Capik's next work was "The Insect Play", written in collaboration with his brother, It is a pessimistic satire on humanity, Capek then turned to the problem of longevity in "The Macropoulos Sceret", while in "Adam the Creator" he depleted the extinction of the human race and the attempt to replace it by some newer form of life. One of his latest plays "Power and Glory" deals with the private life of a dictator and higigsynfall at the moment when war breaks out.
Capek was a sort of Czech H. G. Wells, his plays being occupied with spelology and the problems of nature and the future of mankind.
in the present
PROLIFIC WRITER
INSURGENTS "SATISFIED"
Saragossa, Lee, 25. The Insurgent troops successfully continued their offensive on the Catatonian front to-day, although The sezond day of the long-operations were hindered to some the deep know. The threatened Insurgent offensive ugainst extent by the Loyalist Catalonia stronghold, weather fury is getting better, and found the opposing armies locked in it is expecled that the next few days ed out here, is due above alt to the are taking part
fact that it has been very carefully offensive-Trans-Uccan. battle on two major fronts, approx-will bring actions on a larger scale. imately 500,000 men being engaged Insurgent military authoritles de-prepared. In both drives pointing towards
clare themselves to be completely Preparations began immediately Decatalonia and Barcelona.
satisfied with the results hitherto after the conclusion of the Ebe Claims of victory from both sides attained, and they display consider-offensive. The Insurgent forces were ave conflicted the outcome of the battle to date, although it is obvious Jible optimism in their forecasts on completely reorganised, their artillery have advanced six kilometres in the English readers by the excellent | considerably strengthened, and gaps that the heavy snows, combined with probable future developments.
in the ranks of all units which suffer- the strong Loyalist defence, materially
During the first two days of the ed losses during the Ebro offensive, impeded lie Insurgents.
offensive, the Insurgenta exptured an were completely Alled.
it is stressed here that only a very Reports claim that both offensives area of about 300 square miles. The partially succeeded. It is claimed success of the offensive, so it la point-Įsmull number of non-Spanish troops
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He also wrote novels, essays, short stories, A mock-serious book 071 INSURGENTS ADVANCE
stage-craft and travel sketches, translated poetry and edited antholo- Burgos, Dec. 20.
gles. Much of his work is known to The Insurgents are reported to Trempsort sector to-day, completing translations of his compatriot Paul the occupation of the villages Coula, Granena and Casares, and Selver and several of his plays were taking 10,000 prisonera in the Tremp-produced in England. In his novel sort sector.
"The Absolute at Large," a fantastic satire, he described a marvellous in- vention which after bringing univer- Bal plenty ended in disaster. "Krakatit," the name given to a ler-')
Ten enemy planes are reported to have been brought down in an air battle at Mayals.
A flendaye message says that ac curding to an Insurgent communique, Moroccan cavalry, with Blackshirt legionalres stormed across the Grosa mountains, in western Catalonin and caught the Loyalists in positions where they were trapped.
rible explosive, deals with the grave) tendencies of the present day. The theme of the "Insect Play" is re-i peated in a book in which newts are trained to do the donkey-work of civilisation and end by becoming its masters.
The
In the northern end of the 45-mile 6ghting trout, the Catalonian defend-
and novels "Morduba}" ers appeared to be successful in
depict the life of * holding off General Franco's heavy "Meteor" blown in the
Capek was vicinity of Montsech Czechoslovak peasant. and the Segre River
the author of several delightful and Frontier despatches reported a 25-humorous books on England, Hol- elle advance by France's Moroccan land, Spain and Italy, illustrated by troops across the Grosa mountains, his own amusing drawings. He had 26 miles south of Lerida as a result the art of dressing shrewd criticism of a series of danking operations, in a mantle of engaging artlessness which thrust deep behind the Loyalist with trimmings of ironie wit fortifications, only 35 miles from the gentle and so friendly as to disarm Mediterranean coast.
offence.
50
The Loyalist War Offee at Barce- This versatile writer could also tena admitted the loss of Almatret, produce crime thrillers equal to 25 miles south of Lemn, to "Italian Anything that hus been done in this attacks, while Franco's headquarters line. He was a great friend of the claim that the insurgents advanced late President Masaryk and publish- along the bank of the Ebro ilvered a series of "Talks with the Pre-
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in the vicinity of Ribaroja, which insident" in which Lazuryk outlined &@NSANEY six miles beyond. The Insurgents his views of life and history and re- ure occupying Ribaroja, near an im-called some of the most significant portont Fallway which serves the experiences of a full life.
Loyalist strongholds at Barcelona, as
PLAGIARISED IN U.S.
was
well as a series of valleys and high- ways into the heart of the Catalans,
The "Macropoulos Secret" Fighting on the front of the south- ern rector of Franco's Christman of converted into an opera by the Czech fensive ran roughly from Felix on composer Leos Janacek und "R.U.R." the Ebro River, north to Mount was set to music by the Slovak, Dr. l'inzat, curving back to Franadella, paritised and published without The former play was and thence to Franco's Lerida
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An Insurgent Beid base at Saragos recognition in America FANCY DRESS PARTY
sa sald that more than 4,000 Loyalist | fact that no copyright convention prisoners had been taken, including existed between Czechoslovakia and whole units with their officers and the U.S. Capek in discussing the political commissars, as well as en- matter said his chief grievance was mous quantities of runs and equip that many spurious editions had ap- peared differing greatly from the A Barcelona despatch admitted original and he had to reply to cri- that the enemy "with Italian soldlers Gelams of
he had never leading the attack" passed Grosa written.
ment.
matler
Penk, and that the Loyalists retreated In 1035 he murried Mme. Olga to new positions around Sollers, Scheinplugova of the Prague
At the height of the big push, National Theatre company. General Franco sent bomber Equa- During Germany's move for the drons to attack the Loyalist van-diamemberment of his country in guards and to bomb towns up and 1938 Capek was one of the signa- down the coast in an effort to dis-tories to an appeal it the world by rupt enemy communications. Loy Czechoslovak writers. He DO alists stated that in the course of broadest from Prague urging calm the violent bombardments, between und confidence
among his com- 50 and 75 civilians were killed. The patriots. It was suggested that he Inhabitants at Pens were the heaviest should be given a post. in the new sufferers-United Press.
INSURGENT DRIVE THOUGH
SNOW
BURGOS, Dec. 20.
THROUGH A DENSE FOG and
Czech National Ministry.-I. B.
Bitter Nazi Attacks
under very dimcult conditions, the, On United States
Insurgent column at Catalonia continuing its advance which started at.m. to-day although so for it is not known what positions. have been reached to-day.
Berlin, Dec, 25. The press continues its violent at- tacks on the United States to-day for having "torpedoed Christmas peace."
The forces which occupied Alma- tret have contacted the forces main taining the Ebro line where the
President Roosevelt, Mr. Harold Ickes and other Americans have now latest battle is being fought.
Churchill The forward movement on the left replaced Mr. Eden, Mr. bank of the river began in the nec and Mr. Dull-Cooper as the chief fora at Ribarroja and Flix, and they targets of abuse, though one paper were very active destroying Loyalist rellerntes the old charge that defences, moving up to the first line, "British wor cltera" are upsetting prace policy.— and disorganising counter-attacks by Mr. Chamberlain's
(Continued on Page 4.)
Reuter.
ON
DECEMBER 29.
AT THE Y.M.C.A. KOWLOON
FROM 3 TO 6 P.M.
It's going to be the jolliest party with heaps of fun. Clowns... Mickey Mouse Cinema... Lucky Dips. Fish Ponds. Raffles... and. , ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIR. Tickets are only $1.50 (including tea) and are on sale at Mautrio's, Anderson's, Tsang Fook and at the Dairy Farm, Kowloon.
The proceeds will be devoted to destiture refugee children to give as many of them as possiblo, samo little ray of happiness during our Festive Season. The grown-ups will also enjoy themselves. YOU MUST mako a point of coming!
Count the
"TELEGRAPHS" everywhere