SPANISH CRISIS.

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18258, 20 February 1931, Page 7

SPANISH CRISIS.

A PLOT THAT FAILED.

KING ALFONSO’S PREROGATIVES,

SENOR GUERRA CHECKMATED.

United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright, (Received Feb. 20, 8.35 a.m.)

LONDON, Feb. 19

The Daily Telegraph's Madrid correspondent transmits 'an interesting story as to how the plot to involve King Alfonso in the renunciation of the Royal prerogative broke down. It is known that Senor Guerra took to the palace a document for the royal signature, committing His Majesty to immediate political inactivity and impotence. It is also known that he had in his pocket for the King a list of nominees for the Cabinet. It is known further that Senor Guerra came from the palace saying that he never produced the list to the' King owing to its inherent unsuitability. Everybody is asking why Senor Guerra changed his mind in regard to presenting the list, and the answer generally accepted is that King Alfonso flatly refused to relinquish his prerogative. Senor Guerra, foreseeing that this would involve a conflict between the Crown and the country, if stressed by him, came from the palace with the list still in his pocket, confessing his own failure at the psychological moment to produce it. The situation is not dissimilar to that in Mr Bernard Shaw’s play, “The Applecart,” in which King Magnus upsets the Ministry’s applecart toy agreeing to abdicate, but announcing his intention to become the parliamentary candidate for the Royal Borough of Windsor. The Ministry, foreseeing that King Magnus would be elected and form his own party, preferred him to stay on the throne.