Perpignan, Jan. 22.
The French Government tonight rushed six platoons of Mobile Guards: to reinforce the Pyrenees border: coincident with an official Spanish. Nationalist statement accusing France of opening the frontier to tanks and war materials destined to ald in the Aefence of Barcelona.
Gen. Francisco Franco's headquartjets at Burgos announced that three points on the French frontier had been opened to permit the passage of war material to the Spanish Re-Publicans" in Catalonia, The _an-ouncement said France had thereby violated her non-intervention pledge.
United Press correspondents touring the French frontier were unable to find any traces of arms shipments to Spain from France, much less the passage of tanks into' Catalonia, He adds that there is no fear that either Germany or Ttaly will obtain any strategic footing in Spain, as is recognized that General Franco's following ts as Nationalist, inva Spanish sense, as Herr Hitler's German, and Signor Mussolin's is Mahan"
Tt is not even greatly to be feared, the "Observer" "correspondent oes fon to state, that Germany or Tlaly Will obtain a financial or economic hold over Spain by offers to help in reconstruction work, or In the supply: fof armaments for. the purpose of Spanish participation In the general What is regarded ax possible, however, he declares, Is that the neces sity presented to France of manning. her Spanish frontier, In addition to the existing German and Italian frontiers, will be used by Germany as a "diplomatic lever."
Tt is possible, he declare, that Italy, too, may rise her "evacuation" from Spain as a pawn for renewed demands upon Tunisia and Djiboutt, British and French strategic interests, throughout the Mediterranean, the writer observes, may be Involved, even though Signor Mussolini has given a specific commitment. in Fespect to the status quo—Reuter, No Proofs of Allegatio The Nationalist announcement said the French frontier had been opened at Cerbere. Lo Perthus and Port Vendres. The announcement was believed based on a report appearing In the extreme rightist "newspaper, "Eclair" which is. published here. The paper gave no proof for Its allegation United. Press correspondents found no evidences of wat materials passing into Spain. The only shipments which might have been mistaken for Wrar materials were a trainload of wheat and several caravans of trucks Bearing food which crossed the Pyrenees into Catalonia last week, French officials said Guard re Inforeements were in anticipation of a heavy influx of Spanish "refugees it Barcelona falls, Several hundred Spanish refugees have crossed the trow-piled Pyrenees in the past week.—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.