1938-11-15 — Page 12

THE CHINA MAIL, NOVEMBER 15, 1938.

THIRD YEAR OF SIEGE

Madrid's Defences Still Intact

CAT-AND-MOUSE TACTICS

The second year of the siege of Madrid has ended and the former Spanish capital has started the third year of its investiture which in loss of human lives and property surpasses all sieges of modern times with the exception of Verdun during the Great War.

It was two years ago that the Caballero govern- ment fled from Madrid and the Foreign Legion, the Moors, the Requetes and the Falangists of Gen- eralissimo Francisco Franco arrived at the Man- zanarez river and began the siege of a stubbornly resistent city.

'KISS' DRUG MADE MODERN SURGERY

In those two years, with a whole army at its gates, Madrid has suc- cessfully resisted air and artillery attack.

Official

Spanish records show that in two years upwards of 18,000 shells have fallen on the unhappy city, and their fall has been charted by the municipal au-

Ever since surgery had been prac-thorities. tised, when the knife bit into the

Madrid is caught in an angle of

living flesh the result was agony. fire from. Franco's batteries at

Often death.

Carabanchel and in the Casa de Yet because Crawford W. Long, Campo, but the besiegers no longer obscure, easy-living Jefferson

maintain a continuous fire and the (Georgia) physician, liked kissing guns shoot, only spasmodically, they pretty girls, anaesthesia-the death of pain-was given to the world are often silent for days at a time. after fifty centuries.

5,500 CIVILIAN CASUALTIES

To resist it has cost Madrid 5,500 civilian casualties including nearly 1,500 dead, 20,000 military wounded and dead and at least 4,800 buildings wholly or partially destroyed.

In 1841 a travelling showman in-' troduced the Jeffersonians to the amusement of the "ether party." It became fashionable to inhale ether with friends, both for the harmless exaltation it produced and to see the antics of the drug's "victims." At one time, General Jose Miaja,

Madrid's defender, held the city. Long took it up with enthusiwith 150,000 to 200,000 troops, but asni and held "ether jags" at his rooms every few days.

He was a great lady-killer, and when a bevy of Jefferson beauties implored him to take ether in their presence he readily agreed-on one condition. They were not to hold him responsible for his actions.

Never had such a chorus of pro- mises been heard ́under one roof in Jefferson, Georgia.

Dr. Edouard Benes, ex-President, of-Czechoslovakia, came out of his homely exile for the first time since he came to England and al- lowed himself to be photographed. Dr. Benes is still silent and will not talk about European politics. Photo shows Dr. Edouard and Mme. Benes facing the camera outside the ex-Presidents' nephew's house at Putney. He smiled by request, but as soon as the photo- graphers had left his grave face resumed its worried solemnity.

WHO WILL

SUCCEED "STRONG MAN"

these lines have been thinned down to provide sorely needed reserves 4 for the Valencia and Alamaden front and neutral observers estimate the present Madrid defence force at a maximun of 30,000.

STALEMATE

Prague, To-day.

appear

The question as to who will suc- ceed General Sirovy as Premier after the new Czech President has Against those stubbornly deter-been elected has come to occupy the mined 30,000 specialists, chiefly foreground of political discussion sappers who burrow far under-here.

Conservative newspapers ground to plant mines under nation- alist guns and trenches, anti- to take it for granted that General of a sleep-walker, Long marched aircraft gunners, artillerymen, ma- Sirovy will resign from the post of chine gunners and grenadiers, Gen-Premier but are unable to give a gravely round the room and gave. a smacking kiss to every girl ineralissimo Franco is estimated to definite hint as to the nature of a

have 175,000 men assembled from new Czech Government. turni

the Sierra Guadarrama, past the It would appear that a complete former capital to Aranjuez.

change in the form of the Govern In the past year, the lines have ment is certain, even in the event

Solemnly assuming the attitude|

But besides being a practical joker, he was also a deep thinker. He noticed that when "under the in- not budged.. fluence" his friends' sustained cuts and bruises for which they were afterwards unable to account.

CENTURY'S GREATEST BOON

Both sides have settled down to a cat-and-mouse slege, neither wasting men or munitions to try to force an issue.

of creation of a Government on

-JEWS IN—————————

TROUBLE IN POLAND

Warsaw, To-day,

Serious, clashes between Polish and Jewish students occurred at the Warsaw machine-building high school yesterday, when Jewish students refused to occupy seats specially provided for them.

Lectures were suspended until further notice-Trans-Ocean.

VIENNA ATTACKS ON JEWS AND CZECHS

Convent Stoned

Both Jews and Czechs have been

seriously molested in Vienna by turbulent groups of youths. Grown-

part

Since Brunete, which was a costly parliamentary lines, seeing that no-up men do not seem to have taken Republican sally, there has been nothing now can prevent the Nationa- serious effort to drive the Nation list parties from obtaining full

A synagogue in Schiffgasse was alists back from Madrid,"

control of the State.

attacked by a band of young rowdies The Czech Peoples' Party held who burst in during a service, struck meetings throughout the country the rabbi and members of the con- Later an acquaintance had to

yesterday. A part of the organisagregation, and tried to set fire to have several tumours removed

tion is in favour of a one the building.⠀ . Police arrived in from his neck. After much tre-

system while another wants a new time to prevent them. pidalion he agreed to let Long ad-

National Council in which So S.S. and S.A. men are guarding. mintater ether first. The "opera- tion" was painless and eminently known medical lore, are found in cial Democrats would be represent Jewish premises and Catholic

Churches night and day. ed:

Stones successful. The greatest boon of "Doctors On Horseback," by James the century had been discovered! Thomas Flexner (Heinemann, 168.), In Prague, the youth section of were thrown at a convent of the a story which deals with the bril- the Czech Peoples' Socialists has Heart of Jesus and al Ithe windows Long did not immediately publi- liant and eccentric doctors who joined with the youth section of the were smashed. cise his discovery, and three other built up the modern practice of me- Social Democratic Party in issuing Cardinal Innitzer has been allow- medical men all claimed the inven-dicine in America during the War an appeal in support of the Nation- tion as their own at approximately of Independence.

al Labour Party now in process of the same time. The greatest con- Brilliantly written, it "clothes the formation. troversy of the day and one which dry bones of schol still breaks out was soon raging, our, pathos, and,

These and many other enthralling There is enough maforial in this Rocialist Party. facts, together with much little-book for a dozen mov

ship' with hum- rams

ed to leave his palace and walk across the street to the cathedral, wearing a cassock, without hat or It seems as though a aplitim cloak, so that hardly anybody the ranks of the Czech Peoples' cognised him in the street.

He

Trans-Ocean.

inevitab

as not preached in the cathedral ince the attack on the palace.