GREAT AND MENACING CRISIS IN SPAIN

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9717, 20 July 1917, Page 5

GREAT AND MENACING CRISIS IN SPAIN

THREE PROVINCES MAKE DEMAND FOR HOME RULE RAPID DEVELOPMENTS EXPECTED IMMEDIATELY. By Telegraph—Frees Association—Copyright. Australian and Now Zealand Cable Association, i (Received Juiv 19, 11.16 p.iu.) 1 LONDON. July 18. The Madrid correspondent of the “Daily Chronicle,” in u dispatch which was transmitted indirectly, declares Spain never bad a crisis so gri-ai, menacing and obscure as at present. Olficial assurances that nothing alarming is occurring aro contradicted by tile most rigid and implacable censorship that was ever imposed in Spain. Much of the existing uneasiness is due to the newspapers’ forced silenceFifty per cent, of the popuiaton i« doterminod that Spain, sliall remain outside'tho war, yet DO per cent, of the citizens are suffering nil the privations of people in combatant countries. The situation has been extremely delicate since June Ist. The army’s fair' demands are for the moment satisfied. The Government has at last listened to the demands of the railwaymen and civil servants. These will doubtless be settled when the Government has the necessary millions iu its possession. But the real evil will continue if tho present methods aro not altered. The desire of tho provinces of Vizcaya, Aragon, and Andalusia for home rule is becoming a dominant question. Tho deputies from these provinces met at Vittoria and proclaimed the necessity for an autonomous Government. The problem is much graver in Catalonia, whore a violent outbreak is threatened.

A collision has occurred between the Madrid Government and the Catalonian deputies. Tho first result was a miraculous fusion of the. opposing parties in • Catalonia. A meeting which was backed by the whole, public opinion of tho Catalonian provinces invited all members of Parliament to hold a consultative sitting at Barcelona on Thursday. Tho Government announced that it is prepared to prevent such a meet, ing, even by the use of force if necessary. The entire country awaits to-mor-row with intense interest. Rapid developments are expected.* Every moment is full of gravity. AUTHORITIES MAKE NUMEROUS ARRESTS Published in “The Times.'* ) (Received July 19, 8.40 p.m.) I MADRID, July 18. Numerous arrests have been made, including Socialists and editors. The Agrarian Club has boon closed. A largo number of deputies belonging to the Republican Reformist parties have gone to Barcelona, whore a separate Parliament has boon convoked. Signor Date, Premier, hns hurriedly gone to Lagranja, where King Alfonso is taking a holiday.