NEXT KING OF SPAIN MAY BE THIRD SON

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6843, 22 February 1929, Page 10

NEXT KING OF SPAIN MAY BE THIRD SON

Don Juan to be Educated in England At the present moment the Spanish people, as well as European sovereigns and statesmen, are guessing as to who will be the next King of Spain. The recent visit of the Queen of Spain to England, where it is reported that she is looking for au English school for her third son, Don Juan, ha.s heightened tho speculation. Under ordinary circumstances there would be no uncertainty regarding Spain’s future Eing. The Prince of the Asturias, the 21-yea r-o!d son of King Alfonso, is by birth the heir apparent, and were all well with this young Prince he would bo his father's successor. But all is not well with him. He has been an invalid for the greater part of his lire. On several occasions his life has been in the balance, for lie suffers from a disease known a.s haemophilia. This ailment is one in which the blood of the victim lacks the necessary element to congeal and, therefore, the slightest cut or wound causes excessive bleeding. The King’s second son, Don Jaime, is also an invalid, though not quite so pronounced a one as hi 3 elder brother.

He, too, was with difficulty taught to speak. This young Prince has visited London and other European capitals, where the most eminent specialists were consulted. The utmost efforts of many of the world's best specialists seem to have failed to effect a cure or even much of an improvement, in Don Jaime.

So it happens that stock is taken of the third son, Don Juan. He is a healthy, normal, vigorous youngster of 15 years. He enjoys all forms of sport and is quite above par as an athlete. Even at his tender age he has had active association with the Spanish Army, Education in England,

So the question asked to-day is: If Don Juan goes to England to attend school will it bo as heir apparent to the Spanish throne or merely as the third son of King Alfonso 1 No one has answered the question, for it is not a simple matter to dispose of the Crown.

Don Juan has ono staunch backer for the throne —nono other than General Primo de Rivera, the present Dictator. General Primo de Rivera is of the opinion that a successful dictatorship hinges to a great extent upon the maintenance of «, constitutional monarchy and that the State requires a sovereign with a strong and likable personality. But the Spanish grandees do not fall in behind the Dictator. They argue that -if athlete ability were the criterion demanded, many a loved and excellent ruler would never have ascended the throne. It leaves too much

man is or ought to bo disqualified for scope for discussion as to whether a certain disabilities. Who is to decide, they ask, what disabilities constitute a bar to the assumption of an office or a title ? The Dictator wants the formal announcement of the King’s successor made at once. Ho believes that the country ought to know who is to be its future King and so became better acquainted with his personality and build up respect and affection for him. But the grandees’ reply to this is that King Alfonso is comparatively a young sovereign; that there is no reason to assume he will not reign for many years to come, and that it is quite unnecessary to make such a momcnt.ons decision now. It is not fair to assume, they say, .that both the prince of the Asturias and Don Jaime are incurable or that ills may not later on attack the young Prince Don Juan. Too Youthful.

The King seems to be on the side or the grandees. Ho is said to be of the opinion that Don Juan is tco youthful to be proclaimed heir to the throne. In fact the King, in his democratic way, states plainly that he feels the boy’s youth would be seriously interfered with, his development retarded, if ho must immediately begin to play the part of “Crown Prince,’’ and he prefers to let Don Juan have his boyhood days as carefree as possible.

There is another point where King and Dictator lock horns. The Dictator, putting little faith in parliamentary government, urges that an Order-

in-Council is sufficient to impose upon the people a new ruler; that it is unnecessary to have the formal assent of tko people’s representatives. The King, with loyalty to the Spanish Parliament, would want a new heir to be approved by a vote of recommendation of that body.

That is the present status of the question as to the futuro King of Spain, but Europe is interested in whether Don Juan is to go to England, and upon that decision will greatly depend their opinions as to whether this young Prince or one of his elder brothers is to rule.