NEW SPANISH REGIME.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 114, 25 February 1936, Page 5

NEW SPANISH REGIME.

“LAW AND ORDER REIGNING.” PREMIER PROMISES PROGRESS. (United Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, February 23. • Interviewed by the “Daily Telegraph,” Senor Manuel Azana, the new Prime Minister of Spain, prophesied a great cultural, economic, spiritual, and material advance. 'Law and order now reigned throughout the country, though naturally • the Republican and Socialist workers had jubilantly celebrated the victory. The “state'of alarm” would shortly be withdrawn. The Government would apply the Constitution to carry out at the earliest possible moment, in a spirit of liberality and liberty of conscience, the •Republican policy which was the basis of the Popular Front’s election programme. The Government would be formed only of Republican elements; Socialists and extremists would support In a elading article the “Daily Telegraph” declares: “Spain is not threatened by violent revolution or Bolshevism. Because ISenoi Azana has formed a predominantly Left Cabinet there is no visible justification for the flight of parties of’ the Right. Nevertheless, Senor Azana’s plans foreshadow a strongly radical programme which will strike hard at vested interests and the parties supporting the recent Right Government.”

Revolutionaries Freed.

The Madrid correspondent of the “Daily Herald” says the Government is reinstating 7000 transport workers who were dismissed for striking in 1934 making up their pay. for the period of dismissal. The Madrid correspondent of “The Times” points out that this means the expulsion of men who. at great risk, helped the constitutional authorities to break a revo utionary strike. Although 1000 municipal employees have been, summarily dismissed. This is slight beside the situation in the Asturias, to which region a majority of' the 30,000 liberated prisoners belong. Many of these, hac vowed the extermination of the Civil Guard, of whom they killed 100. Ihey now return triumphant to the scene o their exploits. They include 40 miners, who were condemned for shooting without trial, and in cold blood, eight Christian Brothers and two Excise officers. When they were liberated they marched to the cemetery and placed wreaths on the tombs of two of their comrades who had died in captivity, and then departed, with lists raised, singing the “Intel nationale.” Luis Companys, former President of the independent State of Catalonia, which existed for 24 hours, drove to Madrid accompanied by a fleet o cars filled with admirers, to confer with Senor Azana about reconstruction plans. Senor Gonsalez Pena, who was condemned to death for complicity in the Asturian revolt übt was reprieved and imprisoned, has been elected Deputy for Asturias.

CARNIVAL THROUGHOUT LAND. POLITICAL PRISONERS FETED. MADRID, February 23. Until next Sunday, when the Left victory will be officially eelebiated, political demonstrations bar e been overshadowed by the carnival tliioughout Spain. Singing crowds in fancy dress are thronging the streets. Thirty thousand former political prisoners, mostly from the Asturias, were earlier feted as martyrs and paladins posing surrounded by e inema tripods, under a halo of photographers’ flashlights.