Evening star., 1939-02-09


France pressed peace moDeS.
BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Feb. 9.-Great Britain
was reported reliably today to have
taken new peace terms from the
Spanish government to the insur-
gents after the latter had landed
forces on the Balearic Island of
Minorca.
The insurgent landing occurred
after the departure of the British
cruiser Devonshire from the island,
where she had been sent to help ne
gotiate surrender. The new
peace terms reported offered by DR..
Juan Negrin, Spanish government
Premier now in France, centered
mainly on clemency for his fol-
lowers:
From Burgos, insurgent capital,
word came at the same time that
Generalissimo Francisco Franco,
while still demanding an uncondi-
tional surrender by his foe, pro-
missed there would be no reprisals
dllu tlldG Ollly lllOSC dCCuSCo VI
crimes would be tried
Spanish government officials
abandoned Minorca, leaving aboard
the Devonshire, while on the main
land the insurgents reached the
French border at LIE Perthus.
Negrin Fled to Perpignan.
DR.. Negrin mad fled to Perpignan,
France, but was reported to be de-
termined that the Spanish cival war
continue in the central zone, which
includes Valencia and Madrid. This
attitude was interpreted as indicat-
ing he had little hope for success of
continued peace negotiations.
With the conquest of Catalonia
virtually complete, Generalissimo
Franco began withdrawing troops
in preparation for an offensive
against the government-held CEN
trail zone, which represents one
fourth of the area of Spain.
In Paris, meanwhile, an informant
close to the French foreign Office
said that the French government
considered that the republican gov
ernment of Spain no longer existed,
since DR.. Negrin was in France.
The Devonshire sailed this after
noon for neutral port after hav-
Ing anchored for several hours off
Minorca until instructions from the
British foreign Office reached her.
While she was anchored negotl-
ations for surrender of Minorca
went on aboard.
British officials did not disclose
her destination, but said "she will
be going to some French port"
45O Refugees" Aboard.
British foreign Office officials said
that $50 refugees were aboard the
Devonshire when she put out to
sea from Port Mahon and acknowl-
edged that they probably were gov
ernment officials and "other per-
sons wanted by the insurgents"
Minorca, which British arma-
ment firm helped fortify, is the
only principal island of the Spanish
Balearic group which the govern
ment has held since early in the
war. The insurgents early in the
conflict seized Mallorca, from which
italian airplanes have operated, and
Ibiza, other islands of the group.
The 9,75O-ton Devonshire put into
Port Mahon, Minorca's harbor,
Tuesday. This was believed to be a
measure to forestall any occupation
of the island in which Insurgent
Generalissimo Frances italian or
German allies would participate.
Mallorca Governor Aboard.
Aboard was the Count of San Luis,
insurgent military governor of NAL
lorca, bearing demand for Minor
cas- immediate surrender. AT Port
Mahon government negotiators
boarded the cruiser. 1t was under
stood she then put out to sea to
permit the parley to 60 forward on
neutral territory.
Negotiations for safe conduct for
the Minorca officials then occurred,
and it was believed here that the
insurgent envoy agreed to permit
this in return for surrender of the
island.
Britain and France have been
anxious about the fate of Minorca,
which lies on their vital Mediter-
ranean communications lines and is
regarded by some as more important
strategically than Mallorca.
The British understood that the
insurgents had force of 10000
men and concentrations of war
planes and warships ready to start
an attack.