EXILED KING IN PARIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20851, 18 April 1931, Page 11

EXILED KING IN PARIS.

A TUMULTUOUS WELCOME.

VAST CROWD AT STATION.

COUP D'ETAT UNEXPECTED. MADRID IN' A FRENZY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received April 17, 8.45 p.m.) PARIS, April 17. King Alfonso arrived in Paris at 11 p.m. yesterday, and received a tumultuous welcome at the Gare de Lyon. As the train steamed in there were loud cries of "Vive le Roiand " Vifa el Roy!" Thousands of people surged and struggled toward the last coach, where the King was known to be travelling. His Majesty's staff disappeared amid the rush of Monarchist welcomers, in spite of the efforts of the polico. The shouts redoubled as cinema lights flared up. but the King, although helpless and haggard, went on smiling and kept his head.

If any reception by the Government had been contemplated it was completely iipset by the tumult. It took Ilis Majesty a quarter of an hour to push his way to a car in which were Duke Miranda and Scnor Leon. The King slowly made his way through the mass of deliriously acclaiming people to the Hotel Meurice, where the crowds gave an ovation to the King and Queen Ena when later they appeared on the balcony.

King Alfonso told the Prefect of Police, M. Chiappe, that ho was deeply touched with the warmth of the reception. When Queen Ena arrived in Paris yesterday she received an affectionate welcome from the Spanish Monarchists, after which she drove, to the Hotel Meurice.

In an interview the Queen said: " The sudden change in Spanish opinion was altogether unexpected. There was a kind of Red push, or a Communist wave, which swept all before it. The people were frenzied. If we had remained in Madrid I do not know what might have happened. Even our lives—" Her Majesty did not finish the sentence. She added that the King did not desire to appeal to the Army, which was partly for him. French newspapers say the Republican Government will not publish King Alfonso's manifesto until the danger of a monarchical coup d'etat has passed. A message from Marseilles quotes the King as saying: " me, more courage was needed to do what I have done than to lead a cavalry charge." When entering the Paris train at Marseilles he said: "I shall see what happens after the elections. My exile is only provisional." This means that the King will remain in France until June, hoping that the populace will recall him after the elections in that month.