Vatican City, Apr. 19.
Papal blessing was conferred on Gen. Francisco Franco, leader of Spanish Nationalist forces now staging furious attacks against the Republican Government remaining strongholds in Spain, The occasion for the blessing was the canonization yesterday of the Spanish Franciscan missionary, Salvatory De Horta. Gen. Franco, on behalf of Spanish Catholics, telegraphed the Pope expressing his gratitude for the canonization' and his loyalty to the Pope.
The Pope has replied by saying that he was glad to hear vibrating in Gen. Franco's message the traditional faith of Catholic Spain and sending him "with all our heart" his apostolic blessing.—Reuter. in preparation for a big scale counter-attack on Lerida, key city of the central Catalonfan front.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.