Evening star., 1937-04-02

By the Associated Press.
MADRID, April 2.-Mechanized
government columns rlunbled toward
strategic, insurgent-held Cordoba to-
day in a renewed threat to Isolate
southern insurgents from their field
base
Two lifelines-the Cordoba BadajoZ
Railroad and the highway between
the front and Cordoba City-were the
objective of the fresh government
assault The city is headquarters for
Insurgent Gen. Gonzalo Queipo de
Llano's southern force.
Opposing armies battled on four
fronts. Major action was concentrated
along the southern lines while addi-
tional forces engaged in spirited con-
f1ict in the Far North. The fighting
summarized:
North of Cordoba-the town Of
Ovejo was the focus Of the southern
battle zone. Government militiamen
aimed their attack at the town, only
Is miles north Of insurgent Cordoba
and miles northeast Of the insur-
planes, accommodating ahead Of ground
troops, bombed Cordoba.
Rebels Move Up in North.
In the Far North-Governmen
commanders admitted hard-driving In
surgents had penetrated their lines to
the town of Gorbea, taking four want
age peaks, but contended Basque sup
porters halted the advance q dozen
miles from the Biscayan coast. Heav-
lest fighting was at the juncture of
Guipuscoa and Alava provincial fronts.
In BurgoS Province-In fresh spurts,
government troops renewed efforts to
break through the Insurgent ring pro-
tecting BurgoS, capital of Gen. Fran
cisco Frances government. Govern
ment militiamen, firing from behind
improvised breastworks near Sar-
gentes, combined with artillery and
aviation. No definite progress was re-
ported
In the Guadalajara sector: War &C.
ton was confined to artillery duels as
rain suspended most activities in the
sector northeast of Madrid.
Line of Trenches Taken.
The Febus (Spanish) News Agency
said insurgents captured a line Ut
trenches near La Trecha, Oviedo
Province, by ruse during midnight
truce parley in no mans land.
While government leaders discussed
the battle situation, insurgent demoli-
tion squads cleared paths through gov
ernment barbed wire entanglements,
the agency reported. The peace parley
suddenly concluded, insurgents swept
through the lanes, forcing the militia
men to fall back to secondary posi-
tions.
In Bilbao, Basque President Juan
Aguirre called a new session OF his
cabinet to review the progress Of the
civil war In the north. He also re-
ceived delegation Of Englishwomen
engaged in relief for combatants
In the war areas.
While beleaguered Madrid rejoiced
in belief that government successes
far from her own siege lines had re-
lieved the threat of invasion here, a
series of fierce battles were fought on
the eastern Basque front at heavy
cost of insurgent lives.
A desperate insurgent attempt to
offset recent major reverses notably
In Cordoba and Guadalajara Provinces,
was believed to have inspired the
fierce but thus far futile offensive in
the Basque country Of Northern
Spain.
The fighting famed out along a
broad front south and west from the
middle of Guipu1coa Province, as
Frances strategists hurled tank, avi-
alton and cavalry units at the Basque
troops. At some points, positions
changed hands several times
Basque Spearhead Holds.
The Basque defenders were re-
ported holding their lines, including
a spearhead within 80 miles of the
former insurgent capital, Burgos,
from Santander to the North on the
Biscay Coast.
An insurgent cavalry unit which
plunged ahead of infantrymen was
cut off and surrounded in the town
of Gorbea.
A PEAKS Apr SCIzEn