Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-05-09
|NSURCENTSPRESS
CLOSER TO BILBAO
laundering Guns Endanget
Refugees Being Evacuated
by French Ships.
BACKGROUND

BACK GROUND-
Gen. francisco Franco, shittin0
his attack from Madrid to Bilbao,
capital OF Basque provinces, ,cheYe
thousands Of Loydlist refugees had
fed. endangered lives OF ponex
and children and inspired efforts Of
foreign ships to euacuate the city
OF non-n,ilitary elements.
Many ,Dorlen and orphaned chill
dren tDere taken to France BY rescue
ships in past meek a. tnsuroents
pressed their attack on the city.
~ the Associated Press.
HENDAYE. Franco-Spanish Border.
May s.-Insurgent guns Numbered
closer TO Bilbao tonight; footsore de-
tenders OF the Basque capital crowded
women and children aboard three
French refugee vessels.
The heaviest fighting conferred about
hill in the Solluve Hills, about II
miles east Of Bilbao. The Basques'
last-line positions wee growing more
perilous by the hour.
A trio Of French warships stood
by OF the Smile limit In the Bay
Of B.cay to protect the evacuation
ships, taking away 400 noncom-
batants. Nearly 5000 already had
gone to France. Great Britain sent
the destroyers Fearless and Foxhound
OF the home squadron to Bbcayan
waters to help protect the ships.
Insurgents tanks crawled over
BASQUE trenches and raked them with
machine gun IRE. The insurgents
said they captured strategic Solluvs
Hill, dominating the region between
Guernica and Cape Machichaco.
northeast OF the capital, enabling the
three columns that took 1t to move
nearer Bilbao with less danger Of .
flank attack.
Their plan was to give the weary
defenders no rest, keeping them from
recuperating for = counter-attack.
Basques Hold Ground.
BASQUE commanders insisted. how
ever, that q terrific attack on the hill
had failed to bulge their forces. But
they acknowledge that wooded slopes
there were set aflre by insurgent Air
bombs. The hill commands the Ber-
meo- Bilbao highway.
Basque heavy artillery shelled insur-
sent-held Bermso. Bbcayan port, from
emplacements southwest of Cape Ma
chichaco. Insurgent planes silenced
the batteries.
Insurgent Generalissimo Francisco
Franco called upon Bilbao to Surren-
der, declaring he did not want to de-
! Stroy the city.
Thousands Of leaflets were dropped
over Bilbao by insurent planes, say.
ing: Lay down your arms, Nation.
al:sts do not seek to destroy your
beautiful city. They wish to see 1t
flourish. Renounce your criminal
leaders"
New Classes Called Out.
The Basque government ordered
mobilization of the 1928. 1888 and
1899 army classes and 1927, 1897 and
1898 navy classes in three days.
Insurgent planes also bombed
trenches and fortincations about Bill
bAo. Several ammunition sheds were
reported destroyed.
Appearance OF some government
planes in the north cheered the hard.
pressed defending armies. Tires
squadrons of these carried out wide
range bombing expeditions yesterday
The long distance Spanish govern
ment planes must fly TO reach the
Basque front from Madrid has hin.
dered defense air operations. Much
of the territory they must cross ID
take aid to their northern allies j,
held by insurgents. Government
sources also pointed to lack Of air.
ports as another stumbling block Ia
helping the Basques in their opera
tons about Bilbao.