Evening star., 1939-03-25
Madrid Surrender
Par|eys Reported
Nearly Completed
Francois Army Expected
To Enter City Today
Or Tomorrow

'' oV' c'u'tCtoCO TIuHCO UuS
dominated Spanish Republican
government since coup ousted
Premier Juan Negrin nearly
month ago. Communist reuolt
held up negotiations. With up
rising suppressed the Republicans
Uere reported to haze opened
parleys yesterday in Burgos.
BY the Associated Press.
HENDAYE, France, March 25.-
Negotiations for the surrender of
Madrid to the Spanish Nationalists
and for peace in the 32-month-old
Spanish civil war, were said today
to be nearly completed.
Some dispatches from both Burgos
and Madrid, the Nationalist and
Republican capitals, indicated that
q plan for the almost unconditional
surrender of Madrid was so far ad-
vanced that Generalissimo Francisco
Frances troops might march into
that beseiged city today or tomorrow.
CThe correspondent Of the
Rome newspaper II Messaggero,
on the Madrid front, forecast that
Gen Frances troops would attack
Madrid in full force within the
next few hours" unless attack
orders already issued were coun-
termanded)
Defense Council Meets.
The Nationalist Defense Council,
which rules Republican Spain-one-
fourth OF continental Spain-met
last night in Gen. Jose Miaja's office.
The atmosphere in corridors out
side the council room, where minor
offcials constantly were coming and
going, was described as one of tran
quill JOY" in dispatch from Madrid.
The council considered results of
peace mission which made a secret
flight to Frances capital to arrange
the surrender. The group met at
$50 pm.
Burgos dispatches said the Re-
publican mission left Burgos at 5::35
pm. for the approximately two-hour
flight back to Madrid.
According to advices reaching the
frontier, terms of the surrender
were simple. The National Defense
council will remove all mines from
fortified and civilian areas, demobi-
llze the Republican army and pub
llsh a declaration recognizing the
Nationalist government as the only
legltlmate government of Spain.
The only thing said to have been
asked in return by the Madrid re-
gime was that handful of its lead
ers be furnished means Of leaving
Spain. Whether this request was
granted was not known.
1t was considered significant that
the only denials issued at Burgos
concerned the identity OF two re-
ported negotiators and a report that
complete accord" had been
reached.
Late last night the Nationalist
military command at Irun, Just
across the border, said that the peace
negotiations were CLOSE to a final
accord"
Republicans Asked Farley.
Nationalist sources insisted that
the negotiations were opened en-
tlrely at the request of the Repub-
licans and that it was immaterial to
them whether or not they succeeded.
Gen. Frances plans for an ofYen-
sive against Madrid were so COM
plete and the disorganization of the
Republicans so great. they said. that
the voluntary surrender of Madrid
would make a difference of only a
few days.
Some sources said that the Madrid
Defense Council had guaranteed to
surrender only the capital itself and
warned the Nationalists that they
might have to fight for other parts
of the central zone.
There were reports at Burgos. how
ever, indicating that the Republican
leaders of the other sectors had be-
gun negotiations which would lead
to their surrender as we'll.