Evening star., 1937-03-27

important mercury mining lands to
the south followed swiftly, however,
upon the governments Guadalajara
successes northeast Of Madrid.
The first reports Of the Alcala attack
were brought to Madrid by eye-wit-
nesses, who were unable to give the
extent of any deaths or the damage
Communications with the city were
cut off.
The attack was staged as govern
ment guns were reported blasting at
Navalperal de Pinares in a drive on
the important insurgent stronghold at
Avila, so miles west Of Madrid and
slightly north. Government attacks on
Aravaca and Majahonda sectors were
repulsed, insurgents reported.
The bombs struck an off-chord for
Madrid's songs OF victory based on
recent successes in Guadalajara Prov
ince and near Pozoblanco. on the
southern front.
Feel War Tide Turned.
The populace felt the tide Of war
had been turned.
Roistering "milicianos," their non-
descript uniforms still smeared with
trench mud, sang and shouted JOY
Gus refrain in the city's bars and
cafes-on Easter leave-while their
comrades on the western front were
reported to have established advanced
outposts in the drive toward Avila.
The government force reached a
point near Navalperal which is only Is
miles east of Gen. Francisco Frances
strategic base at Avila.
Newspapers blazoned claims that
Frances long weeks of pressure on the
government stronghold at Pozoblanco,
$50 miles south of Madrid, had been
cracked in a mass rout Of his troops.
These recent developments, together
with Gen. Jose Miaja's crushing
counter-drive against frances Qua
dalaiara army, turned the shell-scarred
capitals Easter week end into season
Of gaiety.
The press reports said government
artillery was battering insurgent con-
CGDtTdJIUllS DIT
The shells were planted ahead Of the
government outposts near the fringe
Of the town.
In the Pozoblanco drive on the
southern front the insurgent army was
said to have been hammered back al
most to Alcaracejos, about s miles
west of Pozoblanco, in Cordoba
Province. A dawn counter-attack by
the rebels today was crushed, govern
ment commanders reported.
The atmosphere in Madrid con-
trasted sharply with the tenseness of
little over a fortnight ago when
Frances legions - the government
called them an Italian army Of 10000
were rolling down through Guadala-
lara Province, threatening to close the
last open segment of the ring of siege
lines about Madrid
That drive was halted before when
it had reached point about 40 miles
northeast Of the city and fierce
hurled Frances
motorized war machine mack to line
about so miles away
The conquering government militia
in Guadalajara today we're taking a
"well-earned rest" said Miaja, the
Madrid commander in chief
Things were going distinctly WELL"
the general said. He wore a broad
smile-this man who in the dark early
days Of last November whirled on in
terrogators and snapped What do
you mean they are going to take
Madrid?"
He declined other comment on the
governments military moves on the
far-fllung fronts,
Madrid Situation.
In broad outline, rMadrid's situation
was the best since Francois men ar
rived at the capitals gates little over
Az months ago
Until is days ago the war, for
was a dogged but sometimes
defense. Today the spirit
of offensive warfare seemed to have
been infused in both Madrid's civil
population and her military defenders.
However, the people we're still con-
scious OF the fact that Francois armies
have not yet been dislodged from the
Jarama River sector at the southeast
ern edge of the city as well as the
other siege lines.
When that element of danger was
pointed out, they recalled with shrug
that the situation had stood like that
for months.
A point of danger even closer than
tba Tarana front is the University