Evening star., 1936-07-25
j. 5. CITIZENS SAFE,
MANY DEPARTING
Embassy Staff "Digs In
for Siege-Thousands
Embark.
BY lie Associated Press.

Their path to the sea and safety cut
off by revolutionary fighting, lac
Americans settled down in the United
States Embassy in Madrid today to
await developments and hope peace
would come before their two weeks
food supply ran out.
AS diplomatic dispatches told of
the rescue of 16 American women and
children by the battleship Oklahoma
at Bilboa, on Spain's northern coast,
Secretary Hull talked with the en-
bassy at Madrid by transatlantic
telephone
He was assured that the morale OF
all the Americans who had taken
refuge in the embassy was good
The 16 refugees evacuated from
Bilbao were taken aboard the battle
ship Oklahoma, Capt William Alden
Hall, its commanding officer, reported
today through Admiral William H.
Standley, acting Secretary of the
Navy.
Included among the refugees were
Mrs. William N. Chapman of San
Antonio, Tex. wife of the American
consul at Bilbao, and their son Rob-
ert.
The other Americans evacuated were
Mrs G. A. Carlisle and son of Detroit,
Mich; Mrs. P. M. Terrence of Urbana,
Ill; Mr.. and Mrs. P. Maenner and son
of Cleveland, Miss Nettie Gown of
Cleveland. Roy B. Gown of Bethlehem,
Pa; Mr. and Mrs. Edmund c. Heine
and three sons of Detroit and R. r.
Thursby of Akron, Ohio.
Hull's conversation with Eric C.
Wendelin, third secretary in charge of
the embassy, lasted about Is minutes.
Battle Near Madrid.
Wendelin said a battle was raging
between government and rebel forces
about As miles north Of Madrid, and
that there was no chance for Ameri-
cans to evacuate that capital to seek
the safety of foreign ships on the
Spanish coast.
Their shortest route to the sea would
be via Portugal. but Wendelin said this
way had been closed to all travellers by
the revolutionary fighting.
Paradoxically, Wendelin obtained
from Washington his first news that
American Ambassador Claude G. Bow
ers was safe at his Summer villa near
San Sebastian.
The Madrid embassy had been unable
to obtain word of the envoy's welfare
for more than four days because of
disrupted communications.
Ambassador Bowers talked by tele-
phone with an official here last night.
With Ambassador Bowers indicat-
ing in the telephone message last
night that the revolution may last a
long time, the Oklahoma and other
United States men of war continued
round of seaports where fleeing
nationals have gathered.
Coast Guard Cutter on Hand.
The Coast Guard cutter Cayuga,
remaining at San Sebastian, reported
all Americans who desired had been
evacuated from that Summer Capital
of Spain.
The American Export liner Exeter
arrived at Marseille, France, at 8
a m. today (Spanisn time) with nearly
200 foreigners evacuated from Bar
celona, where a Spanish clerk en-
ployed by the American consulate was
slain while on a relief mission in an
automobile flying the American flag.
French and British ships landed a
number Of Americans at Marseille
yesterday from Spain.
Bowers. who had been isolated at
his Summer villa near San Sebastian
several days while fears for his life
mounted, reported last night that the
warning Leftist government forces and
the revolutionary Rightists each held
important sectors of the country.
While Bowers expressed no opinion
as to the duration or outcome Of the
war, the picture he drew led observers
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