The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-02-07
Insurgents Are Very Close to French Border
tcontinued from Page D.

every overture and insist OH uncon- diticmal surrender.
 For that reason, 1t was said, the British and French governments were trying now, as first move, to negotiate the surrender of Minorca to the insurgents in order to fore stall an Italian occupation.
 Informants said that the French had recently erlvisaged the possibil- ity that they might have to occupy Minorca themselves, as a means of guaranteeing that the Italians even- ttIally left Majorca.
 Subsequently, it was reported that the Italians were preparing to at tack the island in force.
 Apparently wishing to prevent a French Italian clash in the Balearics the British approached the Ma tionalists with the suggestion that they occupy Minorca with Spanish force. Generalissimo Francisco Franco was reported to have agreed. It was believed that the British now were trying to induce the 4S,000 Loy- alists on Minorca to consent to handing over the island to Franco, and that British naval commanders who regularly visit the island, and are friendly with the garrison, might be used to persuade them to the surrender.
 To Recognize Insurgents
 Both Britain and France now regard 1t as inevitable that they will recognize the Nationalists, 1t was said, though they have not made the actual decision to do so.
 It was learned today that the British government supported France in a request to Generalissirno Francisco Franco, the Nationalist leader, to Keep Italian troops away from the French frontier.
 It was indicated that the British and French governments, acting to- gether, were making urgent efforts to cement relations with the Nation- alists and, as part of that to find a means of ending the civil war de- spite Franco's refusal, so far, to &C., cept anything but unconditional surrender by the Loyalists.
 Both the British and French gov- ernments have begun to take a most serious view of Premier Betlito Mus solini's activities in Spain.
 It was understood that Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain had decided to ask Mussolini through diplomatic channels what Virginia Gayda, regarded as a lnouthpiece for the Italian foreign office, meant by a statement published yesterday that Italian troops must remain in Spain until Franco had won "pol- itical" as well as a military victory.
 Britain Wants To Know
 The British government does not often recognize 6 newspaper article as reflecting the view of foreign government. Apparently, however, British authorities were beginning to realize that all articles in Italian and German newspapers such as that of Gayda were subject to offi- cial inspiration and approval.
 Mussolini had promised Britain to withdraw his troops from Spain at the end of the civil war, without qualification, Thus to keep them in Spain after the war until some in- definite political" victory was won would be regarded here as a breach of faith.
 The real feeling in London. as well as in Paris, seems to be that as in all such instances the Italian position regarding Spain is but part of a general diplomatic background. This time the background is that of Mussolini's still undefined 'aspira- tions' as part of which he means to make specific demands on France.
 For that reason, authoritative sources indicated that Chamberlain was trying to impress Mussolini with the unity of the British and French governments in the face of the Romc-Berlin diplomatic axis.
 PRESIDENT WANTS PEACE
 St. Julien, France, Feb. 7.-CUP) President Manuel Azana of the Spanish Loyalist government said today:
 T want peace and Spain wants peace as soon as possible"
 It was the first statement Azana had made since he crossed the Catalonian frontier to seek refuge in France, end 1t removed any doubt that he, at least, among Spanish leaders felt that the time had come to end war which had bled Spain cf its men and national resources for two and a half years.
 Azana arrived at Colonnes- Sous Salez, near here and close to the