Disturbed Politics of Spain

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 46, 25 February 1936, Page 7

Disturbed Politics of Spain

Ugly Situations in Wake of Disorders

REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT HOLDS POWER

United Press Association—Bv Electrlo T6legTaph.—Copyright. Received Monday, 7 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 23.

The Daily Herald’s Madrid correspondent says tho Government is reinstating 70UU transport workers dismissed for striking in 1934, making up their pay for the period of dismissal. The Times Madrid correspondent points out this meaus the expulsion of men who, at great risk, helped the constitutional authorities to break the revolutionary strike. Already thousands of municipal employees have been summarily dismissed but this pales beside the situation in Asturias to which region the majority of the 30,000 liberated prisoners belong. Many of these had vowed the extermination of .the civil guard of whom they killed a hundred. They now return triumphant to the scene of their exploits. They include forty miners condemned for shooting without trial in cold blood, a mining engineer, eight Christian brothers, and two excise officers. When they were liberated they marched to the cemetery and placed wreaths on the tombs of two comrades who died in captivity and departed with fists raised singing the Internationale. Luis Companys, former President of the Independent State of Catalonia which lasted twenty-four hours, drove to Madrid accompanied by a fleet of cars filled with admirers, in order to confer with Azana regarding reconstruction plans. Azana, interviewed by the Daily Telegraph, prophesied a great cultural, economic, spiritual and material advance. Law and order now reigned throughout the country though naturally the republican socialist workers had jubilantly celebrated their victory. The state of alarm would shortly bo withdrawn and the Government would apply the constitution and carry out at the earliest possible moment in a spirit of liberality and liberty of conscience, tho republican policy. The Government would be formed only of republican, elements, Socialists and extremists would support it. Gonsalez Pena was condemned to death in connection with the Asturian revolt but was reprieved and imprisoned. The Telegraph, in a leader, declares that Spain is not threatened by violent revolution nor Bolshevism because Azana ' has formed a predominantly Left Centre Cabinet. There is no visible justification for the flight of panic-stricken refugees belonging to parties of the Eight. Nevertheless, Azana’s plans foreshadow strongly a radical programmo'which will strike hard at vested interests and parties supporting the recent Right Govern ment. Ex-Prisoners Feted Received Monday, 7 p.m. .MADRID, Feb. 23. Until next Saturday when the Left victory will be officially celebrated, political demonstrations have been overshadowed by the observance of % carnival throughout Spain. Singing crowds in fancy dress are thronging the streets. Thirty thousand political exprisoners, mostly from Asturias, wero earlier feted as martyrs and paladins posing, surrounded by cinema tripods, under a halo of photographer’s flashlights.