Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-20

European ventures, and he would tighten
| the bonds with Portugal and Latin Amer
lea. The government through the minis
ter of state Senior Garcia Prieto. limited
itself to the reply that any pact at all
seemed to it premature, and ii would
conclude none without consulting the
country.
For n fact the negotiations in order to
grand groups of the powers
visits OF date from the advent of
ALL. Alfonso XIII, whose inter-
view with the kaiser at
vigo in 1904 may be recalled; the kings
visit to Paris. London and Berlin in 1905,
and finally the treaty with King Edward
VII at Carthagena.
| The Anglo Franco-Spanish declaration
relative to the Mediterranean status quo
| followed. and it was thought that it con-
tanned an Anglo-Spanish convention and
the secret Moroccan treaties of 1904 and
| 1905. The role of Spain in the conference
| at Algeciras and the late treaty between
! Spain and France for the partition of
Morocco marks well an orientatiOn in the
sense Of an entente with France and Eng
| land.
| But that is not sufficient clearly to de-
| fine Spain's international situation Italy,
| for example, maintains the same rela-
| tons with these two powers (f'rance and
England) while at the same time belong
| ing to the triplice. Notwithstanding the
final happy issue of the painful negotia-
| lions over Morocco and the actual cordial
relations Franco-SpaniSh, il may be asked
| if the memory of certain incidents has
not prevented a more complete accord
Under the present circumstances the
| international policy of Spain dominates
! all Spanish questions. The oriental crisis
| joined to the question of ornaments
| brings Spain to the front. The impartial
says: The crushing of Turkey augments
as by counter stroke the value of Spain
as factor of European equilibrium
Spain, which occupies symmetrical Stu
alton at the other end of the Mediter-
ranean. The enormous military and ma
val efforts of the great powers add to the
value of the support OF a third power more
! precious now than ever because of SPANS
resources in men and natural advan-
| tages.
What value. it may be asked is to be
! accredited to the recent speech of the
| Marquis di San Giuliano in the Italian
| chamber and his recent conference with
| the Spanish amba ssador at Rome? These
| incidents have been interpreted by the
gallophobic press as a prelude 10 a form
| al alliance between Rome and Madrid,
| with the object of blocking French hege-
mony in the Mediterranean.
Such interpretations have been denied.
| tempt of Crispi to have Spain espouse
| the cause of the triplice.
!: ::
Betweentimes the visit to Madrid of the
| British minister of war returning from
Gibraltar: the visit to
! Comment on King Alfonso and the
visit and dinner with
OoAAoAoAooo' the president Of the
council of ministers and cabinet provoked
new comments and in an inverse sense.
These comments We're followed also by
denials But whatever the result the
subject of the mode OF occupation Of the
Spanish zone of Morocco was discussed
at length and this fact aroused decided
opinion on international problems.
The British minister it is recalled,
manifested special interest in the eXerciS
ing of the school of Spanish aviation. the
flights in air with the infant Alfonso and
the governor of Madrid determining a
certain current of sympathy, which was
precisely the object sought. Finally the
ratification of the treaty OF November
- in the French chamber. delayed until
two months after that ratified In the
corteS was largely compensated by the
unanimity of the vote and the express
sions of cordial sympathy by NJ. Jonnart.
This situation has made probable
Franco-Spanish treaty.
Spain Is not unconscious of the fact
that she is being made the object of solic-
itatfons on the part of the adverse camps
of Europe. The dogma of neutrality and
the status quo. so dear formerly To such
statesmen as CanoVas and Sagasta, who
feared the risks Of pacts, is now under
stood to be fraught with dangers conse-
ouent upon isolation. The disaster to
Spain in 1898 was lesson.
TIL" attitude of King Alfonso since 1910
has shown marked respect for the tend
ency of his country toward liberalism
and this attitude has been accentua ted
recently since the elections of March .
which returned ninety five liberals fifty
five conservatives, eight republicans and
twenty Catholics.
Senior Maura. chief of the conserya-
tive party it will be recalled. abandoned
politics following the liberal orienta-
ton of King Alfonso and the reconstitu-
ton of a liberal ministry under the pre-
miership of Count Alvaro de Romanones
Since 1910. for fact. the power has
been in the hands Of the liberals The
king, with quick decision, maintained in
authority the cabinet of Canalejas. and
sustained that cabinet under the most try
ing circumstances. and When the faith
of even some liberals was beginning to
grow cold in that cause. but the king s
heart was greater and stronger than
these. And since then King Alfonso has