LONELY ALFONSO

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 20 February 1932, Page 9

LONELY ALFONSO

Practically Without Friends

TTQW 'King Alfonso sadly admitted that he found himself practically without a friend was related by » leader of the Jamist party, who recently returned to Madrid from Paris. Only a few hours before the sudden death of King Alfonso’s cousin, 'Don Jaime, the late pretender to the Spanish throne, King Alfonso .is reported to have said to him: “You have 'been king in name only, now you find yourself wnn hundreds of friends .who are devoted to you and who would sacrifice themselves wnnngly for you. I have been king in reality from tUe time I was iborn, and now I find myself without a - crown v 'ahd“Avithouf four real friends in the world.” It would seem that this confession is only too true ,since the Spanish Republicans have just “tried” the exmonareh, whom they “sentenced’’ to life-long imprisonment. . As it will ,be impossible to enforce this .sentence, as King Alfonso is unlikely to return to Spain, all his property was confiscated. His palaces, art treasures, personal effects and shares in many corporations (including the Madrid TTndergrouml) would, if realised, provide a sum sufficient to secure the workless of Spain from want- for some time.