Evening star., 1936-09-03
Violent 0nsIaughts Fail to
Shake LoyaIist Defense
of Bay City.
SOCIALISTS PROPOSED
TENTATIVE SURRENDER
Moors Are Spearhead of Insurgent
Assault-Armored Cars
Shield Infantry.
BACKGROUND


goDernment-1 coalition OF So
cialists, Communists, Anarcho-Syd-
dicalists and Liberal Republicans
defending the popularly-elected ad-
ministration against the repolt OF
intransigeant Fasctsts and Mon
archists. composed OF ldndholdfng
aristocracy. capitalists. army and
militant clergy.
Loyalists hape succeeded In hold
ing Madrid against repeated on
slaughts by rebel troops, phiIe de-
tense OF key city OF Irun had slotOly
pedkened, tDith government forces
retreating. San Sebastian, nearby
Loyalist stronghold. not yet taken.
howeDer. by Fascists.
tCopyrieht 1895, By the Associated PressJ
BEHOBIE, France. September g.
Anarchists leading desperate govern
ment defenders with their backs to
the wall blocked insurgent infantry
advance today along the last stretch
to Irun.
The rebels failed to gain an inch,
despite violent onslaughts against the
Bay of Biscay city.
Anarchists took over command Of
the government forces after Socialist
leaders proposed tentative surrender.
Sixty Fascist hostages were marched
to cemetery at Irun. reports reach
ing here said, and shot.
One six-inch shell scored a direct
hit on a rebel machine gun crew and
screams of the wounded echoed 500
yards to the spot in France where this
correspondent stood.
Stretcher bearers silhouetted along
the horizon rushed aid.
Both sides banged away down the
Bidassoa River highway and through
parallel corn fields. the sound of gun
fire resounding through the hills.
A spearhead Of Moors pointed the
Fascist rebel attack against Spanish
Behobia.
Five army cars led troops up the
River road into the town. and 2,00(
rebel infantrymen followed through
fields on both sides of the road and
along the fat lands beside the river.
The Moors ran single file along the
river bank, with their heads bent low
heading for the town Of Irun. Just
beyond Behobia.
All of the rebel troops were raked
by savage machine-gun fire from In
trenched Socialists.
But it was several minutes before
government rif1emen spotted the
Moorish soldiers, who carried rifles
strapped to their backs and q grenade
clutched in each hand.
The grenades were hurled through
windows into houses, where govern
ment machine gunners hid.
"Supreme Attack" Essayed.
The insurgent infantry, shielded by
armored cars, had essayed supreme
attack" against Irun.
The foot soldiers pushed into action
at II am, moving forward to join
the Fascist advance guard in the
streets of the Spanish town of Be-
hobia, suburb Of Irun.
FIVE drmOreQ cars, spraying ma
chine gun fire, led the march down the
exposed river road.
Behind the cars moved several hun
dred infantrymen using the lumber
ing machines as shields against the
savage fire Of government militiamer
lying fat on the roofs of houses out.
side Behobia.
More than 1000 rebel reinforce.
ments were massed around a curve
in the river road awaiting their turr
to move down the battle-scarred high
way.
Shells Poured onto Rebels.
Government batteries, meanwhile
side Irun as strong reinforcement
rushed to aid haggard Socialist de-
tenders.
Lively fusillades of shots between
both artillery and infantry forces con
tinued the battle near Behobia, Spain
throughout the night and early morn
ing.
The Socialist troops, under the com
mand of Anarchists, labored fran
tically to improvise barricades in tn
streets of Irun in expectation OF
renewal of the Fascist drive.
A shell from the government artil
lery battery at Fuenterrabia landet
! lsee SPAIN, Page A-4)