The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-01-25

Spain's greatest city, would soon DO theirs.
 It was indicated that the Nation alists previously had awaited only reports from their spies in the city that the main body of Loyalists had gone, to order Q triumphal advance, and to proclaim Barcelona the cap- ital of Nationalist Spain.
 Meanwhile, rebel troops smashed ahead in their efforts to encircle the city.
 The British cruiser Devonshire, off the Catalonian coast, radloed the admiralty ct London:
 "The fall of Barcelona is ifnni- nent."
 Quotation of tho Madrid pesta was suspended on the London money market as financiers awaited news of the fate of the Loyalist Oatalonian army.
 Just Like Madrid
 It had looked like all was over when news of the Loyalists stand came. It was like the situation tt Madrid, in the early days of No- vember, lo36, when Nationalist troops were waiting to March in asI end the civil war. This time they were overwhelmingly superior in numbers and equipment and their triumph was taken for granted. But the Loyalist government was estab- fishing itself farther north, ct Fig ueras and Gerona; the Loyallst army was retreating apparently in good order, and Loyalists leaders asserted that they would fight on. In central Spain, Q formidable army remained, under Gen. Jose Miaja, to challenge the Nationalists.
 Nationalist bombing planes, which had concentrated on Barcelona in recent days, bombed along the coast today-between Barcelona and tho French frontier, along the main highways, and at cities including Valencia and Alicante farther south.
 French Planes Attack
 French anti-aircraft guns opened up against Nationalist planes which flew over the frontier near Cerbere, on the coast, and drove them back Into Spain.
 A German three-motored Heinkel bomber crashed in the French Pyre- nces at the Village of Arrcns in the early hours of this morning. Its five occupants were killed.
 Anti-aircraft guns were fired at Nationalist planes which flew over the village Of FormiguiefeS and dropped i7 bombs in the French for- rests nearby.
 Refugees began arriving ct the French frontier on the coast, mostly women and children but including some troops who arrived by boat.
 The unexpected Loyalist stand In Barcelona suburbs delayed the Na- tionalist plans for c triumphal en- trance.
 Entry Is Delayed
 Advices from Nationalist head quarters at Burgos confirmed that the entry was being delayed. A com- munique issued ct Burgos at 2 ?. m. said that Nationalist forces had crossed the river Llobregat and were completing the encirclement of Bar. celona by two routes.
 The communique said that the rebels had cut the solsona- -Cardona road ct several points and were Q few miles from the rich Cardona potash mines.
 It also said that the rebels had greatly extended" their lines stretching out from the bridge heads on the lower Llobregat, where the river runs within c couple Of miles of Barcelona, and had advanced be- yond several villages around the capital, including Castellbisbal.
 Thousands in Flight
 Loyalist troops and scores of thou sands of civilian refugees streamed toward northern Catalonia and the French frontier and the United States cruiser Omaha waited ct Cal- detas, 20 miles up the coast, to effi- bark Americans.
 Nationalist units arrived in the southern and southwestern suburbs of Barcelona last night. Today they worked their way cautiously north ward and northeastward, hoping to force the Loyalists out and occupy 1t without the necessity for 6 fight that would do further damage to spain's largest city.
 It was indicated that the Nation- alists hoped to make Q triumphal entry into the city tomorrow, If not late today, and proclaim 1t the teni- porary capital of insurgent Spain.
 News from Barcelona was frag- inentary. Such reports as there were, indicated that Loyalist rear guards were seeking to impede the Nation- alist advance. There was no indica. ton of plans for serious resistance.
 Moors First in Suburbs
 Mohammedan Moors from Africa were the first Nationalist troops to reach the suburbs. They were eager to enter, and threw their lines well across the Llobregat river, at the southwestern end of the city, hoping to be the first troops to get into the city proper and thus consolidate their triumph.
 Reports from Nationalist territory indicated, however, that the Moors would be ordered to stay where they were 50 that the Navarrese army corps, composed of italian and Span ish troops, could enter first. Frontier reports were that Nationalist author- ities thought the effect might be bad on the proud people of Barce- Iona if Africans were first to enter the city in the name of 0eneralis- simo Francisco Franco, the insurgent leader.
 It was reported that many people of Barcelona spent the night in sub way stations, fearful of more air. plane bombings, as they awaited the Nationalist entry. There were re- ports from pro-Nationalist sources that the Loyalist troops were set- ting fire to freight cars in the rail- road tunnel extending down the coast from the city, in order to im- pede the insurgent advance.
 Lsoya1ist Communique