Gold

Just before Barcelona fell, nine trucks loaded to the gunwales with gold bars, precious stones, gold and silver plate, gem-encrusted religious vessels and jewelry rolled out of the city and headed north. This gleaming freight, most of it confiscated from jewelry shops and churches, was an important part of the war chest of the Loyalist Government.

Last week part of the treasure crossed the French frontier in the ragged pockets and worn suitcases of officers and men of the rear-guard brigade commanded by General Enrique Lister. But the great and incalculably valuable bulk of it was either hidden beneath rocks and trees in the Spanish Pyrenees--where it will be searched for until Kingdom Come--or had been blown to Kingdom Come in the courtyard of Figueras Castle.

Destination of the trucks when they left Barcelona was Figueras, where the Government established temporary headquarters. When they finally reached Figueras, however, the fleeing Government was already gone and General Franco's columns were only a few miles behind. Moreover, the roads into France were too crowded with refugees for fast driving. Some of the trucks broke down; it soon became obvious that they could not all reach the border.

Quick-witted General Lister then ordered his troops to fill pockets and bags with the precious loot and to carry it across the French border to the Loyalist Consulate at Perpignan. Three trucks were thus emptied. No time remained, however, and the other six were dynamited.

Many a soldier on arrival in France "neglected" either to declare the jewels or to turn them in at the Consulate. French customs officers caught wind of the "smuggling," began a search. Seventy-six Loyalist officers and men were arrested, fined 18,000,000 francs and sentenced to jail terms ranging from one month to two years for evading customs laws. By last weekend the French Government was richer by some $397,000 worth of stones. It intended to apply the money thus raised to feeding the 380,000 Loyalist refugees it harbored. Last week 70,000 of the latter elected to return to General Franco's Spain.

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