The times-news., 1936-08-31
five WARSHIPS
KEPT ON DUTY
IN EMERGENCY
Will Not Withdraw Until
Effect of Protest Is
Learned
6 BOMBS DROP NEAR
SHIP; GUN REPLIES

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31:-
(UP)-NavaI officials today
indicated the United States will
postpone its intended withdraw
al of two warships from Span.
ish waters, due to the emergen-
cy created by the bombardment
of the destroyer Kane by a
Spanish plane.
The present plan is to keep
FIVE armed American vessels
along the Spanish coasts until
officials have time to see the
effect of their protest.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 81. (UP)
The United States destroyer Kane
was bombed Sunday by an uniden-
titled airplane off the Spanish
coast and replied with a blast
from her ,anti-aircraft battery, the
state department announced last
night in making public represen-
tations to both factions in the
spanish CIVIL WdT.
There was no damage to the
Kane nor any indication here that
has return fire had been effective.
Six bombs were dropped and
after the third the Kane opened
fire, the state department said.
The first two bombs exploded
near the yesseP and the Kane put
on speed to maneuver for safety,
the report of the destroyer's COM
mander informed the department.
At 4:26 p. M, one minute after
the third bomb splashed into the
sea the Kane opened return fire.
. The departments representa-,
tions asked both sides in the civil
war to issue instructions "in the
strongest terms" against such in
cidepts.
Editors note: Aircraft gener-
ally have been in control of the
air in the region where the Kane
was attacked. Early in the strug-
gle the rebel forces in Morocco
obtained a number of trimotor
Caproni bombers from Italy and
has used these machines to trans
port troops from Morocco to Spain
proper. Loyalist planes have made
a number of forays into the re-
gion, however.)
Secretary of State Cordell Hull
issued an official statement on the
dropping of the bombs after Pres
ident Roosevelt, in the Dakotas on
his drouth inspection trip, revealed
that the bombing had occurred.
The president instructed the sec
retary of state to take the action.
Representations to the loyalist
Spanish government were made
through the American embassy in
Madrid while General Francisco
Franco, rebel leader, was advised
informally by the American con-
sui in Seville.
Lieut.. Comdr. ]. B. Alvin of the
Kane reported on the bombing OF
the Kane while it was en- route to
Bilboa, Spain, to assist in evacua-
ton of Americans from war-torn
Spain. The destroyer had left Gi-
braltar Sunday morning for the
Spanish port.
The monoplane flew over the
Kane at 4:10 p. M, while she was
approximately 40 miles on the
Spanish coast, the official report
ed. The plane dropped two bombs.
Both exploded near the U. ). de-
stroyer. ~
Fifteen minutes later the air
plane dropped a third bomb and
the Kane's anti-aircraft guns
swung into action, discharging
two rounds of ammunition in the
direction of the. ship.
At 4:32, three more. bombs were
discharged in the sea near the
Kane. The destroyer's anti-air-
craft gun sputtered out seven
more rounds of ammunition st the
Five United States craft are
now in Spanish waters. In add
tion to the Kane there is the ae-
stroyer Hatfield, the cruiser gum,
cv the battleship Oklahoma ana
The coast guard cutter Cayuga:
The presidents prompt actIo,. c.ho,
IN the Kane incident was furtner
nroof of the seriousness M Wilh
Which he regards the internation,I- n,I..
al situation. ae h,sy
oddress at Chautauqua two weeks
@ a9o saving he regarded. affairs
abroad as potentially more dan-
,aerous than any domestic sitta-
tion. After his Chautauqua ap-
pearance in which he emphasized
the horror of war and the Ameri-
can foreign policy positions. sthe
president cut short his current
drouth trip itinerary SO as to be
away from Washington and news
of the Spanish conflict for as short
a time as possible. -
While he has been on the tour
he has been in frequent telephone
communication with the state de-
partment and has received reports
from abroad almost as rapidly as
they have reached the secretary
of state,