Evening star., 1937-09-28
INSURGENTS MASS
F0REASTERNP PUSH
Zen. Moscardo, Hero of Al
|cazar, Commands 0ffen-
sive on Aragon Front.
the.AssociatAd Press.

y the.Associated Press.
HENDAYE, Franco-Spanish From
ier, September 28.-Gen. Francisco
Franco today was massing a huge Of
|ensive on the widespread Aragon front
kf Eastern Spain, with 250,000 men
hnder the command Of Gen. Jose
Ioscardo, hero of the Alcazar.
New major engagements loomed as
he great concentrations took form to
he north, in the Jaca sector near the
French border; in the Zuera sector,
borth OF Zaragoza, and southeast OF
Earagoza.
Gen. Moscardo assumes command
\ the 5th Army. relieving Gen. Ponte
Manso de zuniga, reported as
bounded.
Dust = year ago Moscardo had
bemerged from the horrible 72-day
seige Of the Alcazar fortress he
commanded. There he defied gov
ernment assaulters to blow the
historic fort and its 1,700 occu-
pants to bits. His son, held as
government hostage, was shot when
Moscardo refused to surrender at
the price Of the youths freedom.)
Along the Aragon fronts today there
Fere insurgent counter r-offensives. In
he zuera sector an advance cost the
government 800 prisoners. Some 400
lead and 18O wounded were left be-
hind in the retreat.
Rebel Lines Hold.
Near the French frontier the gov
|rnment tried again to isolate Jaca,
put the insurgents asserted their lines
held.
A fresh insurgent assault southwest
y Madrid awoke that city today.
On the northwestern Spanish front
hsurgent columns today had swept
through Rivadesella and were turning
vest in q swift assault designed to
axe Gijon and crush the last Of
government forces on the Bay Of
biscay.
Hill 400" was the scene Of bitter
attle. This key position. 80 air miles
outheast of Gijon. fell to the insur-
ents today but had changed hands
free times in the days fighting.
Snow already has fallen in this
ector and the squirting insurgent
rives indicate Frances determine
ion to win the district before Win
er.
Francois war planes were active in
sturias fronts. Fourteen planes were
sed In an engagement at Los Tornos.
government plane was downed in
he sea off Gijon after opposing an
Unsuccessful raid Of insurgent bomb
RS
Rivadesella, Biscayan fishing port
bout 30 air miles east Of Gijon, fell
esterday despite strong resistance by
he government, or Asturian, troops.
ksturian Notifications on the east bank
the Sella River and eight nearby
llages also fell to the insurgents.
General Advance Continues.
frances communique said the gen.
raj advance on Gijon from the South
m sector, near the border of Leon
nd Oviedo Provinces. was continuing
The insurgents reported fresh gov
rnment defeat and fresh insurgent
dvances in separated sectors of the
ragon, or Northeastern, battlefront.
Government attacks were said to have
cen repulsed near Orna, near Fuentes.
lew positions were wrested from the
bvernment in the Millamayor sector,
he communique said.
Government advices on the Upper
ragon fighting were lacking.
Border advices told Of a Communist
rive at Barcelona against parties of
he extreme left" during which IA
srsons were arrested. Agents of the
Barcelona, or Catalan, government,
n ally of Madrid and Valencia, were
bid to have seized several munitions
aches and quantity of hand gren-
des. Apparently the extremists con-
hrned were "9narchiStS"