Perpignan, Jan. 30.
Half a million Spanish refugees today were attempting to enter France in one of the greatest migrations of modern times.
Thirty-five thousand refugees have either already crossed the frontier or were within sight of the frontier at noon, and the exodus from Catalonia was gaining momentum each hour. All women and children vere being permitted to enter France as fast as French authorities could check them and remove them to Drive Towards Border Hendaye, Jan. 30.
Spanish Republican headquarters announced today the withdrawal of all Republican troops from the Barcelona sector to prevent further casualties to the former defenders of the Republican capital and to prepare for a new stand in eastern Spain, Fighting was reported to be continuing fiercely today in several sectors, particularly near Mazaro. South of Granollers Italian and Spanish troops were attacking the Republicans, but Republican reports said all attacks had been repulsed.
In the Solsong-Manresa sector the Republicans also repulsed Nationalist attacks, inflicting heavy losses on the invading troops.
Two persons were killed and 27 others were wounded during a Nationalist air raid on Madrid where sixteen houses were destroyed.
Republican reports said the Nationalist air ace, Capt. Garcia Morato, had been killed in an air battle on the Catalan front on January 23. Two other famous Nationalist aces were said to have been shot down the following day in another big air clash preceding the fall of Barcelona,—United Press,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.