King Country Chronicle Thursday, July 23, 1936. THE SPANISH REVOLUTION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 4874, 23 July 1936, Page 4

King Country Chronicle Thursday, July 23, 1936. THE SPANISH REVOLUTION.

Spain is in the throes of another revolution, and the present outbreak promises to be a much more serious one than on previous occasions. Spain has not been free from internal troubles since ex-King Alfonso was driven from the country. The living conditions of the people are on a very low standard. Trade is bad, and the various Governments have found it impossible to balance their budgets. The people are mainly engaged in agriculture, the principal products being wheat, barley, olives, flax, hemp, grapes and tobacco, the latter being a State monopoly, and these industries have been heavily hit by the world depression. The population of Spain is 22,000,000, and a large portion of the country is useless from an agricultural point of view. The reports from Spain are conflicting, each side broadcasting claims that cannot be reconciled. From Gibraltar however, a neutral point in the centre of the struggle, it is reported that the rebels have made substantial progress, and secured many towns in the southern part. The revolution appears to have been well organised, for a simultaneous outbreak took place in Spanish Morocco, where the rebels have complete control. The crews of several warships have joined in the revolution, and have actually transported Moorish troops under revolutionary command to Spain. By way of retaliation air force units loyal to the Government have bombed Morocco towns, and this has evoked a protest from the Sultan of Morocco. Having captured several aerodromes in the south, the rebels now threaten to bomb Madrid. The Government has now ordered the mobilisation of all men under 30, but the response will be a poor one. The objective of the rebels is not clearly defined, but according to one leader it aims at the restoration of the Monarchy. If such is the case it goes to prove the instability of the people. In 1931 they drove ex-King Alfonso from the country, and even demanded his death. Now the Royalists seem to be in the ascendant and will ask for his return at the cost of an enormous loss of life and destruction of property. The position in Spain is typical of those in most other European countries. The people blame the Government for all their troubles and demand a change. In Germany and Italy the respective dictators of these countries have had the people well disciplined, but there is always the possibility of a reaction unless they push their countries into war with other countries. Spain is a natioji which plays a very small part in the international European situation. She is outside the ring of countries in Europe where there is so much intrigue, unrest and suspicion, but the position in Sp.ain is being watched by these Powers, who will take any advantage that can be derived from the Spanish revolution. Politics in Spain have been proverbially corrupt. In 1923 General Primo de Rivera organised his dictatorship to clean up the corruption, and he gave the country the cleanest government it had had for centuries. Ex-King Alfonso dropped General Primo de Rivera in 1930, and this brought about his loss of the throne. The Spanish Republic opened auspiciously under the leadership of Senor Agana, a most able politician, who sought to bring about much needed reforms. Huge estates, amounting in some cases to millions of acres, are held by landowners, many of them absentees, and the people are left to starve half the year in abject poverty. The Agana- Government made an effort to remedy this by a land settlement scheme, but the big monied interests were too strong for him and he was defeated. Pushed by hunger the peasants started to occupy these lands with inevitable clashes. The position has now developed into a revolution, but whether it will devolve into a Government by a new republic, a monarchy, or under Communism only time will tell.