SPANISH NEUTRALITY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 143, 16 June 1917, Page 4

SPANISH NEUTRALITY.

I The present Ministerial crisis in Spain is largely the result of the unscrupulous campaign which Berlin has waged for several months against the Spanish Lib--1 erals. Early in this year a wireless I message from Madrid to Berlin was I intercepted, in which Prince Max Hoheniohe appealed to his Government for ' more money in order to intensify tbe work of the Spanish Press in favour of Germany and to bring about the fall of! the Cabinet of Count Romanones. Soon • after this extraordinary message was! intercepted there appeared in "La Nacion," a German-financed and German : controlled newspaper, a report of an; interview with tbe German Ambassador, i ; in which he declared that the linking of ■Spanish ships by German submarines j I was a severe and much-needed losson for j j Spain, whom he had repeatedly warned j not to allow herself to be drapged into | trading in contraband of war. He added! that the lesson was all the more timely, | ! owing to the fact that the Premier, ', Count Romanones, was bound to the Powers of the Entervte by material interjests, and he went-bn to hint that the Premier had received a large bribe from! the Allies. Then began a vigorous Preea; campaign against the personal character; of the Premier, and these attacks aroused intense indignation throughout the country, and were made a matter of public discussion in the Cortes. The Premier tendered his resignation, hut the King assured him of his entire confidence, and begged him and his fellow Ministers to remain in office. Then I, came the sinking of the Algolta by a.German submarine, followed by the los=.j of the Vega, the Bucon, the Noviembre.i the Macnrina, and four other vospsis,; and eventually the Premier resigned 011! the question of continued neutrality, J which he held to he inconsistent witlil I the dignity anil safety of his country.! j The German* promised to discontinue j their attacks on Spanish shipping if Spain j j would forbid the export of metals to tlio I Allies, and this request would seem to 1 J have been complied with, according to I the cable messages received at the time. :

But public opinion in Spain wa.strongly against Germany, and it found expression in a notable pamphlpt by ?f-nor Alcala Galiano. entitled "Spain and the European Conflict," in which the writer made a bitter attack on German hypocrisy and the German doctrine of froedom of the seas. He said that the political interests of Spain were identical with those of France and Britain, and he reminded his countrymen that Spanish culture was Latin, and must eventually stand with that of France and Italy. But his pamphlet wae mo'''v concerned with refuting the fii -nai lucks on Britain and the effort ma* by the pro-German section of the .pan. i I'ress to prove that the British Navy was using its power to interfere with the rights and privileges of neutrals. In speaking of Great Britain, he said: "Ko cou-.itry has le_s abused its strength. Xone has employed its strength more consistently in defence of the weak against the strong. Each of the small States in turn has benefited by this— Holland, Greece, Portugal, and now Belgium; none has contributed so much to the spiritual and material union of the different State?, -whether of America, ■Africa, Asia, o- Oceania, under the influence of Europe. Its inviolable world supremacy is the result of intelligence, not of despotism. Ite 'Egoism' allows the weaker nations to live, and by its support and protection the most remote corners of the earth flourish." Tliis pamphlet caused great indignation in Germany, as did also the persistent refusal of the King to give his adhesion to any premature efforts on behalf of peace. Although Alfonso warned Germany that he would never sacrifice national respect, honour, and dignity in order to avert war, ypt. he has been careful to retain an attitude of strict neutrality, and has contented himself with taking the lead in all humanitarian work connected with the struggle. Onrof the most prominent features connected with this work has been the establishment of a bureau in the palace at Madrid for the search for missing officers and soldier* of the rival armies,

ami for the relief of wounded prisoner?, j This bureau hnndlce over a thousand i letters a day. and the whole expense is' defrayed out of the Kind's privy purse. Tbe overthrow of the Liberals mny pre vent Spain entering the -war on the side! of the Allies, but it is doubtful if Spanish I participation in the conflict would be j as really valuable for the Entente as] Spanish neutrality, in view of the work | Spain is now able to do for our prisoners ' in Germany and Austria, and her lvi- ■ manitarian work in general, which work ! wouM necesßarilv cease and have to be abandoned if Spain found hcr«elf compnllcii to join in the conflict as thp result of German intripues against her national honour and safety.