Evening star., 1936-07-26
US. GIRLS PARTY
SOUGHT IN SPAIN
Citizens in Madrid Safe,
Mrs. Bowers, III in Siege
Zone, Better.
BY the Associated Press.


Marooned In their embassy at
Madrid, a group of 161 Americans last
night awaited with reported calm the
outcome of an important battle being
waged by government and rebel forces
about so miles north Of the Spanish
capital
Ambassador Claude G. Bowers was
reported safe in the Summer embassy
near San Sebastian. Mrs. Bowers,
who earlier was reported i'll. was de-
scribed as improving and not in need
of medical attention.
The State Department last night
made urgent inquiries in an attempt
to locate Mrs. Monica Owen Of
Cambridge, Mass. and party of New
England college girls. They had not
been heard from since few days be-
fore the revolution began.
Mrs. Owen and her charges have
been touring Spain for some time.
Boston Man Sails.
The State Department acted at the
request of Robert D. Owen of Boston,
who was so concerned over MS failure
to hear from Mrs. Owen, his wife, that
he sailed for France Thursday to
endeavor to locate her. The Owens
daughter, also named Monica, was in
her mothers party.
He announced his intention OF
catching steamer last Thursday. on
the date he requested State Depart
ment aid.
The number Of girls in Mrs. Ovens
party and their identities were not
known at the State Department.
A faint clue as to Mrs. Owens
whereabouts was contained in advices
from the American consul at Bilbao,
who reported in reply to a State De-
partment inquiry that Mrs. Owen had
been heard from there on July IA.
On that date she wrote letter from
Lagranja to Bilbao asking if bicycles
were available for rental in Santander,
in the northwest part of Spain.
She indicated in the letter that she
would arrive in Santander on or about
July 20 with her party.
As the evacuation of United States
citizens and other foreigners con-
tinued along the coast, American mill
tary observers in Madrid said they
looked for no serious trouble unless
troops ran wild" in the city after
either a decisive victory or defeat in
the north.
Seek Method Of Escape.
Fearful of such an eventuality, State
Department officials sought to deter
mine some means of removing the be-
leaguered Americans from Madrid to
the safety of United States vessels now
in Spanish waters. But they saw no
immediate avenue of escape.
Talking direct to embassy officials
on the transatlantic telephone yes
terday, Secretary Hull was informed
that all means Of egress from the
capital were shut of and that there
was no chance, for the moment at
least, for the refugees to get away.
THE only way would be to evacuate
by ~irplane, which would be utterly
unfeasible," Eric C. Wendelin, third
secretary In charge Of the embassy,
advised his chief in Washington. He
explained that all railroad communi-
cation with the capital had been cut.
Nevertheless, Wendelin said the
morale of the 161 in the embassy. a
figure which included the official staff
was good and that there were sufficient
supplies of food and water to last that
number Of persons comfortably for at
| least two weeks.
The 148 actual refugees in the en-
bassy embraced virtually all of the
native-born Americans among the ap-
proximately 300 nationals in Madrid.
The remainder, Wendelin said, were
Filipinos and Puerto Ricans.
Wendelin added that American off,
| ICoo ANEEpTO ANC Dooo AEN