The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-09-16
BY II. r. KNICKERBOCKER
Copyright, 1885, by International
News Servicel

Copyright, 1885, by International
News Servicel
SEBuLE, Sept. 16.-We landed
on this airport here with less for
mality and trouble than you
usually have in peacetime at Lon
don's big airport, Croydon. Not
only did nobody shoot at us but
nobody paid any attention to us.
The field was lined with air.
planes. I noted nine of the larg-
est size Junkers, and the sight OF
them made me homeSick for DeS-
sau, Germany, where back in 1927
Prof. JunkerS took me on a trial
flight Of one of the first models
like these.
All these Junkers were painted
green, the German numbers blot
ted out. There were also a num-
Der Of Savoia Marchetti planes
from Italy and a huge Douglas
tri-motor. These planes, Of course,
are fitted out with bombing racks
and since most Of them have q
speed of at least ITS miles an hour,
there Is no reason why they should
not compete with regular army
bomberS.
Our little Leopard Moth noSed
up through a group Of JunkerS
and I walked into the airport
building where a swarm Of Span
iSh and Foreign Legion officers
were standing around talking. I
presented my passport to q friend
Unlocking officer and gave him my
letters Of introduction to Gen.
Francisco Franco, the commander
in chief in the south, and to Gen.
Quiepo de Lano. The officer was
courteous but evidently neither
he nor anybody else was assigned
to q regular service of inspection
of arriving visitors.
Sees Old Friend
He ordered an automobile for
us and while We were waiting
had another Of those curious
meetings which continue to sup
port the old saw about the size
Of the world. I noticed o tall,
broad-Shouldered, handsome fell
low in the Foreign Legion uniform
and knew that I knew him, but
for O moment could not place him.
I walked up to him and said:
Hello, where did me meet
befOre?"
He answered: .....
Hello there, name of heaven!"
OF course, it was the crack pilot
Of the Italian airforce whom I
had met for the first time in
Ostia, the Roman beach, just a
few months ago. And this same
pilot had told me then that he
had been among the pilots who
bombed us in Dessye, Abyssinia,
last December. Now he was q
member Of the Spanish Foreign
Legion, but he told me he and
his companions were only in
Structing the Spanish filters.
The italian delegation consisted
Of II officers, one colonel, one
lieutenant colonel, one major, five
captains and nine lieutenantS, all
registered at the Hotel Cristina.
The ones I saw wore the uniform
Of the Spanish Legion.
Ban On Writers
Most Of the foreign officers
were quartered in the CriStina and
journalists were discouraged from
staying there. They were asked
to stay all together in the Hotel
Madrid down in the center Of
town, but no objection was raised
to my staying at the Hotel Anda-
lusia Palace.
This hotel was formerly called
the AlphonSo XIII. After AlphonSo
fled the country, the hotel changed
its name, but now it has resumed
the royal title. It is one Of the
most luxurious and comfortable
hotels in the world but it had
exactly five guests today.
The heat here in Seville Is
terrific. It is almost as bad as
Djibuti. All officers, from gen.
erals on down, wear no jackets,
but light khaki shirts with the
collars wide open and sleeves
rolled up.
In the hotel they explained 1t
was necessary to keep the windows
closed. I complained I would SUI
focate. They said "If you open
the windows you will roast" Sure
enough, they were right, so I
Suffocated until I couldn't stand
it any longer, then roasted awhile,
then back to suffocation. We
drank an average of two gallons
a day Of mineral water.
French Attack
I had a note from our Captain
Aguilera in charge of the press
in the north, to his friend, Capt.
Luis Bolin, holding the same job
In the south. Captain Bolin, like
DSm%rpNsnR G,