| Show Stand by Franco Pel Perils ils Accord d of Rome London Doom of Pact Held Likely as Rebel Chief Balks Balks Withdrawal wal of Fore Foreign Troops LONDON Aug 22 AP AP Insurgent Generalissimo Francos Franco's refection rejection of the two basic points of a scheme to get foreign fighters out of Spain appeared today to have blocked operation of the Italian British friendship treaty f for lr an indefinite period Francos Franco's rejection although he accepted the principle of withdrawal withdrawal withdrawal with with- was in a lengthy note to the nation 26 European nonintervention nonintervention in Spain committee author of the plan which was British Inspired inspired in- in d and had been accepted by bythe bythe bythe the Spanish Barcelona government The immediate effect was that the committee was confronted with the difficult task of finding another proposal with the likelihood of a anew anew anew new series of delays like those which have beset the group since its first meeting nearly two years ago on September 9 1936 This in turn meant another delay in enforcement of the British Brit Brit- ish isis pact with Italy signed on April 16 unless Premier Chamberlain acted to alter it its provision for withdrawal of Italian fighters from Spain at the end of the war or before Quarters dose close to th the government echoed the pessimism of the London press press press' concerning the prospects lot pt b bringing AN op operation tion either cither he Anglo Anglo 8 nn effective p for WT g ft from the Prime began began be be- gan study of eta a Sir Noel Charles charge d. d at Rome on a conversation with Count Galeazzo Galeazzo Galeazzo Gal- Gal Ciano Clano Italy's foreign minis minis- ter This Britain's recent request t for Information atlon on re reports reports ic- ic ports that Italy was sending fresh troops troop and munitions s to Spain to toi i Continued on pare Page Four Column On One ITALIAN BRITISH BRITISH IT ITALIAN ALlAN PACT PERILED Continued from Page One aid the insurgents It was understood under under- stood CI Ciano Clino no did not deny that Italy Ital had sent fresh arms shipments ship ship- S. S V ments to Franco At the same time Informed peron persons per per- sons eons on said that the Earl of Plymouth British chairman of the tho nonintervention nonintervention nonintervention committee had begun study of t Francos Franco's reply pending the re return return return re- re turn of Viscount Halifax foreign secretary due in London tomorrow from a Yorkshire vacation Decision De De- De- De cislon as to whether the nonintervention nonintervention committee would be called Into session awaited Ms hb return There were some in diplomatic quarters here who felt the war would be ended before any new proposal proposal pro pro- posa could bo ho agreed upon for withdrawal of foreign fighters V V There were some also who V thought Premier Mussolini of ot Italy was Wag fully aware of Francos Franco's stand V and that the two had joined hands to harass the government British S V These sources argued that In InS S effect Franco Fanco anco h had d killed the V chances of ol the Anglo Italian p pad pact t. t V Franco in his note stated Insurgent insurgent Insurgent gent Spain's wish to assist the committee committee com com- in insuring that the Spanish Spanish Spanish Span Span- ish problem shall not disturb the peace of Europe and accepted willingly withdrawal of ot volunteers subject to conditions indicated above Th These se main conditions w were S re that belligerent rights be he granted to Spanish Insurgents at once and that volunteers be withdrawn in equal numbers from each army S The committee e had proposed withdrawal of Volunteers In proportion proportion tion to their total number in e each ch charmy army after a survey had been made and that belligerent rights be given Franco after the withdrawals had been effected HENDAYE France At the SpanIsh Spanish Spanish Span Span- ish Frontier Aug 22 UP The P The Spanish government reported today that its defense lines were holding firmly against an insurgent attack concentrated on a mile four-mile sector of the Ebro front S Government dispatches said the militiamen still were strongly entrenched entrenched entrenched en en- trenched in front of Villalba strategic strategic strate strate- gic communications center northwest northwest northwest north north- west of Gand Gandesa a which has borne V the brunt of ot Insurgent att attacks since early Saturday From d descriptions of ot the Intensity sity aUy of the fighting It appeared the long-awaited long offensive of GeneralIssimo Generalissimo Generalissimo General General- Francisco Franco was under way Insurgent advices from Zaragoza 1 however said that while operations i in the Gandesa sector had passed beyond the preliminary stage of rectification rec rec- of lines they were not yet an offensive properly so called The insurgents were attacking In various sectors of all other fronts I |
