SPANISH CRISIS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 66, 17 February 1931, Page 7

SPANISH CRISIS

CALL FOR EXILED LEADER.

FATE OF DICTATORSHIP

COUNTRY IN STATE OF UNREST

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph —Copyright.) Received February 17, 8.5 a.m. MADRID, Feb. 15. After consultation with General Berenguer, with whom ho discussed his conversations with various leaders, King Alfonso decided to telegraph summoning to Madrid Senor Alba, the Liberal leader, who is living in virtual exile at Paris. It is expected that the King will invite Senor Alba to form a Government, which is a strange development after many years of political persecution. King Alfonso’s next step is to decide whether he will accept the proposals of the extreme constitutionalists, who want him to stand aside while the nation elects a constituent assembly, empowered to reduce liim to a mere figurehead or choose a policy, based on the suggestions of Count Romanones, whereby he will lose only certain royal prerogatives; but the popular demand for a complete revision of the constitution is so strong that- it is believed King Alfonso is willing to surrender. As Senor Alba, who is in Paris, cannot get back to Madrid until Monday night, the crisis is marking time. If he arrives as expected, (he King will ask him to form a Cabinet of dynastic but extreme constitutionalists, by which Parliament is convoked, but with which the Knig cannot interfere. . Jose Sanchez Guerra, as the leader of the Monarchial Conservatives, is the outstanding personality of the crisis. He is a man of great energy —a vigorous thinker who is an upholder of Monarchy, but is radically hostile to King Alfonso. The fact that he has been called in to advise the throne shows how far against the Crown the movement has gone. Paris messages suggest, however, that it is doubtful wlrether Senor Alba will return to Madrid unless lie receives an undertaking that King Alfonso is ready to abandon the traditional policy of Spanish monarchy. Unbiassed' judges of the situation believe that King Alfonso is unlikely to proceed to extremities in order to save the throne, but will accept the situation if overwhelming public opinion is evidence in favour of liis abdication.

The King is personally popular owing to his manifest courage and sporting proclivities, and his happy and uneeremoti i ous manners.

Curiously enough, Sunday was the first day of a carnival. No stranger would ever believe tliat the country is facing the most critical time in fifty years. Thousands paraded the streets of Madrid in fancy dress and laughter and merriment were general.

LONG-STANDING PROBLEMS.

NOW A BURNING QUESTION. LONDON, Feb. 15. “Reality is more powerful than Royalty,” was the remark that the ex-Pre-mier, Senor Jose Guerra, leader of the Valencia revolt against General De Rivera, made to King Alfonso during discussions on the present constitutional problems of Spain, according to the Madrid correspondent of the Times. These problems, which have been racking Spain since the Napoleonic invasion, were shelved in 1876, when King Alfonso’s father ascended to the throne, but they are now a burning question owing to King Alfonso’s support of the Dictatorship. It was the Comte de Romanones—a staunch Royalist, reputed to be the most astute of the old school of politicians—who put a match to the powder. His agreement to enter candidates at the elections encouraged General Berenguer, the President, to persist in a policy which the Constitutionalists opposed. The Comte de / Romanones, with an ally in the ex-Pre-mier, the Marquis Alhucemas—nicknamed “undertaker of the Constitution,” owing to his pusillanimity when General De Rivera seized the Dictatorship—decided indirectly to join the Constitutionalists by demanding new elections immediately.

Senor Narciso Cortes, poet and writer, elected by the Constitutionalists, objected to this, declaring that a double election was a waste of time.

The solution is handicapped as the Kiijg is consulting only politicians whose heyday has passed, inasmuch as it is eight years since the last election. The result is that a new Spain is at present emerging without having recognised spokesmen. The Comte de Romanones, in reply to criticisms, declares that the elimination of General Borenguer alone greatly served the nation. ALBA NOT RETURNING. PARIS, Feb. 16. Following a long telephone conversation with Count Romanones. Senor Alba has issued a statement announcing his definite intention to remain here. INVITATION TO EX-PREMIER. Received Februarv 17. 9.45 a.m. MADRID, Feb. 16. The King has invited cx-Premier Guerra to form a Ministry.