Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-27
SPAIN IS A MENACE
Liable at Any Time to Disrupt
Peace of Europe.
ARE REPUBLICAN AT HEART
Success of Revolt in Portugal Adds
to Uneasiness.
special Correspondence Of The Star.

Special Correspondence OF The Star,
LONDON, October Il 1911.
The unrest in Europe is creating alarm
and concern in all the chancelleries of
the continent. War and revolutionary
fever seem epidemic. and at present all
eyes are turned to Spain as the most like
y place for the next eruption. Opinion
Is widespread both In and out of this
country that following the example of
Portugal Spain will overthrow the mon
archy and unite the 1berian peninsula
in one republic.
Everybody knows that Catalonia, COM
mercially the most important part of
Spain. is republican at heart; that the
Basque provinces have no love for the
CASTLES, and that the Spanish govern
ment Is hardly more efficient or less cor
rupt than that which was overthrown In
Lisbon at the expense Of days hard
fighting and 200 lives. Moreover, Spain
today has republic on the west and on
the north, and only the sea, which has no
politics, on the east and south.
Her republicans are. for the most part.
of the class from which Portugal has re-
cruited her first ministry under the new
of good reputation and anti-ciericais.
Had the Portuguese revolt occurred just
two years ago. when the unpopular Mai
lorcan cacique. Senior Maura, was pre-
mier the prospects of a republic in Spain
would have been very rosy But many
events have occurred since then to
strengthen the monarchy, and, though
storm Is impending, the skill of Senior
Canalejas may avail to weather'n.
Premier Is Enlightened.
In the first place. the present premier
nnA
sive statesman. while Senior Maura was
merely a strong one. He has already
jeopardixe relations with the Vatican In
order to obtain a measure of religious
freedom throughout Spain, and his action
revealed very significantly the considera-
BILE strength that Rome possesses In the
heart Of the Spanish country. south, west
and north. The Spanish bishoprics spend
a great deal of money and do much for
the people. and when the late Senior
Sagasta proposed to reduce the number
there was q very great outcry all over
Spain, excluding Catalonia AS class,
the spaniards are far more devoted to the
church than are their neighbors across
the western frontier. The men may De
anti-clerical. but the women are devout
and rule the men. 1t Is only among the
Galatians that the cnurc , Is unpopular
and they are In a minority.
Far more important than the existence
ne An anti-clerical party Is the regional
ism of Spain. The north mas notnlng nus
scorn and contempt for south, east and
vest. the south despises north, west anu
east: the west stands for itself alone;
the east does the same. Spanish region
aiism affects literature. food and amuse,
| ments: II affects even the spoken ana
written word, and is a force that gov
ernments. after trying hard and vainly
to subdue it, now turn to political &C
count. II a republican outbreak Occur 1s
not he asked to ouell 1t: forces would be
sent from CASTLE; the Castiiians nate the
| Catalans, and are hated by them
| Utilized by Maura.