The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-02-01
INSURGENTS ARE.
 SMASHING AHEAD
Taking Coast Towns Near to French Frontier;
 Refugees in Flight
BY LOUIS WALTER United Press stan Uoffespondent)

tier, Feb. l.-(UP)-@panish Na- tionalist troops have almost s,if- rounded the city of Sec Dc Urgel near the French frontier and threaten to trap thousands O. Ioyalists, 1t was reported today.
 Dispatches from Nationalist ter- ritory said Q Nationalist unit ex- pected to take Sec De Urgel soon, and thus open the road to Piugcer- da, on the French frontier, 20 miles away. The prospect was, 1t was as- serted, that Loyalist troops in the big triangle of territory bounded by Sec De Urgel, Piugcerda and Vich might be trapped within c few days,
 The Nationalists were driving ahead again against all efforts of the Loyalists to stop them.
 Take Two Coast Towns
 On the coast they took the towns of Malgrat and Blanes, and thus crossed from Barcelona province Into Gerona province at a point 38 miles northeast of Barcelona. They also reached the point at which the Barcelona Gerona Figueras road turns in from the coast, and 0erona lay ahead of them, only 6 little more than 20 miles to the north.
 On the west part of the Catalo- lian front, the Nationalists contin- ued to advance toward the Barce- lona- -Vich Puigcerda road, as Q separate army drove directly up tho road.
 On the coast, the Nationalists as- serted, they were beginning to take quantities of motor transport aiid railroad cars; they were moving toe fast, apparently, for the Loyalist, to get their transport northward or the refugee-crowde roads.
 Rich Spells Captured
 The Nationalists asserted also tha, among the gigantic spoils which they took at Barcelona were two submarines, left in drydock, and foui warships, apparently small onei such as armed trawiers.
 Nationalist communicates asserted also that they continued to take large numbers of prisoners and de. serters, and that they had trapped one Loyalist column, as yet uniden. tifled, not far from the coast.
 Loyalist sources insisted that Italian troops were again in the Catalonian offensive. According te the Nationalists only Moors afc Spaniards are in the flghting at present.
 The Loyalist oortes or parliamen, opened 0 session today at Figueras to make plans for the future,
 French Border Inspected
 Erpignan, French-spanish Fron. tier. Feb. i.--(UP)-Albert sarraut minister of interior. and Marc Rue. art, minister of public health, end. cd an inspection of the French bor. der opposite Catalonia today ans considered whether to recommend immediate enforcement of French security plan No. 1 which would in. volve mobilization of 50000 active troops on the frontier.
 The ministers came to the border from Paris to take charge of the care of Spanish Loyalist refugees.
 Reports that the security plan might be invoked were circulated however, because simultaneously with their arrival there were rumors 1. That Italian troops, removed from the Barcelona area, had been sent to the frontier, and 2. That Italy intended to land q contingent of men on the Loyalist coast near France.
 Italian Rumor Doubted
 The rumors about the Italian troops being moved to the frontier were discounted here The Nation- alists had announced that they would go southward from Barcelona.
 If the security plan were invoked, either to guard the frontier in c military way or to prevent q stam- pcde of refugees and Loyalist de- serters, the bo,o00 troops would be stationed between the Mediterra- mean and AndoTa.
 Nationalist authorities announced at Burgos, Spain, today that they would be willing to open their lines to permit the women and children who had fled to France or waiting on the border for admission to on. ter Nationalist territory, promising that they would not be harmed. But at the same time they said that they would institute special courts to try Loyalists whom they had tak- en prisoner or who had surrendered to them during tl.e Barcelona offcn- sive.
 Cattle, sheep Held Back
 French authorities were undecided whether to admit to France 10000 oxen and 50000 sheep which were being herded by refugees through the snow filled passes of the Pyre- nees from Segre Valley pastures. Snow covers vegetation in tho area and it was feared that many cattle would die of hunger in the moun- tains.
 Authorities made preparations to receive 10000 refugees reported to Do massing in tho Sec Do Urgel region.
 Dispatches said that the Nation- alists nearly surrounded the city of Sec Do Urgel.