BOMB ATTEMPT ON PORTUGAL'S PREMIER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 157, 5 July 1937, Page 7

BOMB ATTEMPT ON PORTUGAL'S PREMIER.

ON WAY TO MASS.

Premature Explosion Saves Life.

LARGE HOLE TORN IN STREET.

United Press Association.—Copyright.

(Received 1 p.m.) LISBON, July 4, A bomb was placed in an electric cable tunnel with the intention of assassinating the Prime Minister, Dr. Salazar, when he was going to attend Mass. The bomb exploded as he left his motor car outside the private chapel, tearing a 12ft hole and damaging the frontage of houses. Dr. Salazar was unhurt and smilingly entered the chapel, giving orders that the service proceed. Crowds later cheered him.

Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, who succeeded in restoring order and tranquillity in hie country, was t>orn in 1894, and | took up teaching as a career. After years of unrest in Portugal, with frequent revolutionary outbreaks, the military succeeded in 1926 in getting control. It eet up a-Government in winch Salazar, then a professor, became Finance Minister, and ruled without Parliament. For years there had been a serious deficit in the Budget, but at the end of Salazar'e first complete year in charge there was a small surplus, and that improvement continued despite the world depression. In July, 1932, Salazar was made Prime Minister. He at once told the army chiefs that, though he owed his position to them, it was not their job to meddle in politics. The rebuke was taken in a good spirit, as it was generally recognised tha.t Salazar's sole aim was to restore the country to prosperity.

With the power of a dictator he carried out numerous reforms which were sadly needed, and planned many more. In furtherance of them he proposed a reform of the constitution and the setting up of a Government of National Union. In March, 1933, he submitted the question to a plebiscite, and announced strong support for it. He had won the favour of Monarchists by arranging a national funeral for ex-King Manoel when his body arrived in 1932 from England. Moreover, he counted all file electors who neglected to vote as having thus indicated their approval of his project. There were critics, however, who held that he was progressing too fast for the slow-moving Portuguese. His Government favoured the cause of General Franco in the Spanish i civil war.