Evening star., 1937-05-19
.BOMBERS RESUME
BILBAO ASSAULT.
Basque Defenders Order
Two Captured Germans
Tried Tomorrow.
BACKGROUND

BACK hGROUND-
Bilbao, capital of Basque prou-
inceS in north OF Spain, bele1guered
in recent ueeks by forces of Gen.
Emilio MOll, northern army OF
Gen. Francisco Frances Fdscists,
uhile siege OF Madrid continues
Northern campaign, believed in
spired by desire to free rich ra,D
material resources for Germany and
Italy in return for support ,Uith
arms and supplies, reported to hare
had participation OF large number
OF Italian soldiers.
BY the Associated Press.
HENDAYE, Franco-Spapish From
tier. May l9.-Insurgent Gen. Frances
big black bombers flew back to the
attack on hard-pressed Bilbao today,
with only hill separating the insur-
gent armies at devastated Amorebieta
and Bilbao's iron ring of final forti-
flcations.
Sunny skies gave the signal for the
take-of and by forenoon the big
planes were shutting rapidly between
their base and the scenes of their
bombardment.
The rain-soaked ground was drying
to permit new infantry advance.
In Bilbao, Basque capital, the defend
ers ordered two captured German air
men, Capt. Walter Kienzel and Lieut.
Gunther Schulze, to appear for trial
before popular tribunal tomorrow on
charges of rebellion and murder.
Harassed defendens of Bilbao backed
down the main highway from Amore-
beta, fighting constantly to keep Gen.
Emilia Mola from splitting the De
Gallo line, on which the Basque capi-
tai placed its last hope for survival.
Advices from the beleaguered capital
Of the semi-autonomous Basque re-
public said its militiamen set up new
front Immediately behind the smoking
ruins of Amorebieta. at point about
miles east and slightly south of Bill
bao.
From the barricades across the
Amorebieta road rear-guard militia
men struggled to hold back Mola's en-
croaching, motorized forces while
the main body of the Basques fell back
to join reserves at Galdacano, pivot of
the De Gallo Notifications at the
southeastern gates of the city.
"Altar of Sacrifice"
Basque commanders pictured Amore-
beta as new ALTAR Of sacrifice" for
the defense Of the republic. A Bilbao
radio broadcast said insurgent planes
dumped loads Of incendiary bombs on
the town, but an insurgent broadcast
claimed Amorebieta had been sys-
tematically fired and dynamited be-
fore the Basques evacuated.
The insurgent warriors swirled
around the devastated town, 9 miles
from Bilbao on the improved road
from Durango, and seized it from its
last scant defenders in a torrential
downpour yesterday.
Insurgents reported that the
Basques spread terror through
Amorebieta's already fear-stricken
civilians before they fled as Molas
;nen blasted a path through the town
The Basques were said to have
splashed gasoline on many Of the bet
ter houses and fired them with hand
grenades.
The normal population Of Amore-
beta was 5000.
Capital Packed With Refugees.
The capital, still packed with refu-
gees despite removal of several thou
sand -combatants in recent
Franco British excavations, chung to
the hope that it would be able to
resist siege such as Madrid has done
| since early last November
Just as the central Spanish govern
ment officials evacuated to Valencia
from Madrid, Basque officials were re-
ported planning to flee to England
aboard a British destroyer, If neces-
sary. There still were about $4,000
persons in Bilbao.
The Basque government ordered
civilians to surrender all firearms,
ammunition and explosive or incen-
diary materials within u hours, ap-
parently In the fear of an outbreak
Of anarchist terror If Mola penetrated
the last line Of trench Notifications.