Evening star., 1939-02-19
Yield onCondition
Franco Pledges
No ReprisoIs
European Situation

ate surrender II Gen. Franco
pledges to take no reprisals.
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, FEAR
FUI, Of new crisis, indicates that
it may cause him to cut short his
trip to see naval maneuvers.
ITALY REPORTED CALLING up
10000 more reservists in line with
program to have 100000 with the
colors by spring.
FRANCE, HEARING REPORTS of
new Italian troop movements In
Africa, makes own preparations
for defense.
BY the Associated Press.
PARIS. Feb. 18.-Spanish govern
ment officials said tonight the
Madrid government had authorized
France and Great Britain to nego-
tiate it's surrender to the National
lists on the sole condition that there
would be no reprisals against former
government fighters and sympa-
thizers.
These officials, closely identified
with Spanish government President
Manuel Azapa, said French and
British representatives at Burgos
had been instructed to present to
Generalissimo Frances government
the offer for peace in the two-and-
one-half -year-old civil war.
The French government, acting
through special envoy at Burgos,
sought quick settlement of the war
and repatriation of about 100000
civilians and soldiers now refugees
In France.
British Agent in st. Jean dc Luz.
Sir Robert M. Hodgson, British
agent in Nationalist Spain, arrived
at st. Jean de Luz tonight from
Burgos, the Nationalist capital, fol-
lowing reported conference with
Nationalist officials on the govern
ment's proposition.
Sir Robert talked at length with
Nationalist Foreign Minister Count
Francisco Gomez Jorda at Burgos
before leaving for the French bor-
der town to confer with representa-
tives of his government. Whether
he bore Gen. Frances answer was
not known, but it was understood
he conferred Immediately with the
British foreign Office in London
by telephone.
Officials of the French foreign
Office said France and Britain had
informed the nationalists that their
diplomatic recognition of Gen.
Frances government would now be
contingent on granting assurances
to the Spanish republican govern
ment against reprisals.
The negotiations followed an un-
successful attempt after the fall of
Barcelona to arrange peace in the
Spanish conflict The difference
now seemed to be that France and
Britain were backing the Madrid
governments sole condition for sur
render on their own account.
Would Return to Spain.
Spanish government officials here
declared Azana was ready to return
to Spain if an accord were possible
and his presence was necessary to
carry it out. The peace offer was
made through Azana by Foreign
Minister Julio Alvarez del Vayo, who
returned to Madrid today.
1t was believed Alvarez del Vavo's
long conversation here with French
Foreign Minister Georges Bonnet
convinced Spanish government Of
f1clals, who now hold only one fourth
OF Spain, that no help would be
Forthcoming for further fighting
from either France or Britain.
Previous government conditions
that Gen. Franco dismiss foreign
soldiers from the country and set up
regime free of foreign influence
appeared to have been satisfied
through nationalist assurances to
Britain.
Alvarez del Vayo previously had
attempted to convince Azana that
he should return to the fighting
zone since he was chief of the Span
ish state. Azana consistently had
refused, declaring he would do moth
ing to continue the bloodshed.
Meeting Terribly Bitter
The Presidents aides described the
last meeting between him and Al
varez de Vayo as terribly bitter"
The foreign minister was said to
have accused Azana of making
further resistance impossible because
his absence from Madrid ended the
legality of the government.
Azana was said to have threat
ened to publish a manifesto calling
upon Spanish government sympa-
thizers to lay down their arms and
refuse to follow Premier Juan Ne
grin and Alcarez del Vayo any
longer. He was reported to have
told Alvarez del Vayo that he would
Immediately resign his Office and