Evening star., 1936-09-16
Socialists Make "TerribIe
Decision" Affecting 1,700
After Efforts for Evacua-
ton of Women Fail.
EXPLOSIVE CHARGES
PLACED UNDER FORT
Electric Gables Have Been At
tached to Numerous Mines,
Each Containing a Ton of
TNT-Troops Rushed to Re-
inforce Attackers.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
During siege OF San Sebastian by
Spanish rebels, BasqueS and An
archists sQuabbled over military
strategy in the defense of the city
,Ohich finally fell to the attacking
JORGE.
Anarchists asserted they 1Dould
defend the resort community to the
end, ,Dhile BaSQues, maintaining
the governments defense lines,
sought to protect the city from de-
Struction Fascist commanders
blamed Anarchists for the deuasta-
ton of Irun, occupied earlier.
Jcopyright, 1885, by the Associated Press)
TOLEDO. Spain, September 10
Government plans to blow up the
shell-battered Alcazar and its 1,700
Fascist occupants virtually are COM
plete, a reliable authority disclosed
tonight.
Socialist sources said the terrible
decision" to blow up the crumbling
fortress atop Toledo had been taken
after 10 days of futile efforts to in
duce the Fascist commander Jose
Moscardo to release women and chill
dren in the building under pledges
of safe conduct from both the gov
eminent and the diplomatic corps
High explosive charges each con-
tanning more than ton of INT have
now been set in place.
Electric cables connect with the
charges along two underground mines
leading beneath the Alcazar, each 100
yards long.
A troop train of regular army SOL
diers was sent from Madrid to re-
inforce Toledo's militia garrison.
These troops viii storm the sides of
the fortress as soon as the explosive
has done its work.
Over a 2-mile area on the west
and south sides of the Alcazar all
houses have been evacuated.
Shelled for Two Months.
Government artillery batteries north
east of the town, which have shelled
the Alcazar constantly for two months,
were standing by, ready to pour more
shells into the ruins if the subter-
ranean passages of the fortress are
not destroyed by the blasts.
Bus loads of hand grenades and
ammunition for rifles, machine guns
and pistols have been moved into the
city during the last few days for the
final cleanup.
No quarter will be given to the male
defenders of the turreted fortress, ooce
the home of Moorish and Castilian
kings. But orders have been given to
respect the lives of any women or
children who manage to live through
the explosions.
The government organ Claridad,
commenting on the efforts to obtain
release of the women and children,
said:
"Our sentimental weakness has put
Q premium on the enemy's duplicity."
The newspaper added that Moscardo
had been temporizing, hoping each
day of delay would bring relief nearer.
Free of Responsibility.
Authoritative sources said the Gov
ernment now felt itself free of any
responsibility regarding the women
and children in the Alcazar and be-
lieved blowing up the rebels-and with
them many imprisoned LeftiSts-would
give great impetus to the Government
defense Throughout Spain.
The Chilean Ambassador, however,
said he still hoped an eleventh. -nour
attempt to get the women and chill
dren out might succeed. Nevertheless,
an official declared the rebels had
paid no attention to the diplomat on
his last trip to the fortress, firing at
him while he exhorted them to COM
ply with his request through a loud
speaker on the Plaza de Zocodover.
NORTHERN SPAIN CUT OFF.
Fascists Patrol Outside Mine Area
With Speed Boats.
(Copyright. 1885, by the Associated eress.D
ST. JEAN DE LUZ, France, Septem-
ber 16.-A swift fleet of Fascist speed
boats, armed with machine guns, to-
day cut the last means of communi-
cation with the outside world from the
Northern Spanish coast, where Basque
Nationalists set up a virtually autono-
NOUS government to overthrow An
archist leaders.
The harbor Of Bilbao apparently was
closed by mines which the Fascists laid
to prevent government ships from
leaving the harbor, and the speedboats
were patroling the waters outside the
mine limit.
Uprising in Catalonia.
Andorran dispatches reaching Per-
pignan, France, reported a military
uprising against Anarchists In the
government controlled SEQ de Urgel
section Of Catalonia.
The troops In the area were re-
ported attempting to purge the dis
trict Of all Anarchists.
SEQ de Urgel lies just south Of the
tiny republic of Andorra.
Anarchists were ousted from all gov
ernment posts in the Socialist-dom-
mated territory along the northern
coast, diplomatic reports reaching
France asserted.
Basque officials were installed In
the majority Of positions.
Consular officials in the beleaguered
territory declared dismissal Of the
anarchists set OF public demoastra-
tions Of rejoicing.
Popular reaction against anarchist