Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-12-25
People Are Halfhearted About
Going to War Further
Than On Paper
MUCH DTSCONTENT
AMONG THE MASSES
When COnsCriptiOn Begins and
Taxes Raise Government
Will Be Upset

Lisbon Dec, 3.--(By mail to New
York to escape censorship. IF the
Portuguese government goes far beyond
a mere paper declaration Of war against
Germany, if it undertakes to engage
the country in actual fighting, it has
not much chance to last long.
A monarchy is not likely to be sub.
stitpted for it. True, there is an ele.
ment which wants the monarchy but it
is not large and a good deal of it is in
exile.
A more reasonable guess is that the
governmental machinery will be taken
out of the hands of the men now in con.
troll of it and that group of officials
more truly representative Of the people
viii take the formers places
The Portuguese revolution which over.
threw King Manuel, was backed by the
people but it was engineered by a com.
paratiyely small number of politicians,
including most Of the army and navy
Officers.
The Republic having been established
these politicians seized the helm.
They were generally highminded men.
They Were also republicans but they
were not democrats. They had very
little confidence in the people who,
having been long yictimized by q bad
government were largely extremely
primitive.
The governing class did not mean to
let any one man or any little aristocracy
run Portugual but they were by NO
means sincere in believing that the
masses could do it. They thought they
were best fitted to do the governing
themselves, Of course with all the forms
Of republicanism, to which they were
genuinely attached,
Thought II Meant Something.
For time the rank and file of the
people thought the revolution was 60
ing to mean something to them aud
were very enthusiastic over the change
They were so enthusiastic in fact, that
the " cientificos" as the Mexican would
call them, though they were "cinetifi-
osu Of a somewhat benevolent type
had to dcfre to them a good deal OIL
they might, as they realized have pre-
cipitated an overturning, Gradually
however they got tighter grip on af
fairs until the republic has become O
good deal Of an oligarchy,
The change is cminently satisfactor,
TO the individuals AT the government 5
head. They think it is satisfactory tC
the masses, too II is not, Having had
three or four years Of republican rule
they find they are no better off thar
they were before. They thinl, time
enough has passed for their condition
10 have improved.
They have seen, however that 6
revolution is NOT very difficult Of ac
complishment. There is much discOn
tont among them
The government leaders, exceedingl,
patriotic in their way take lively in
ierest in international politics, arr
sensitive on points Of nation honor ant
take great pride in their little country
position as the world $ second colonia
power, at least in point Of actual acre.
Of colonial territory.
Just Want Enough to Eat,
Their idea is that the people are con
cerned in the same things. Actually
they don't worry much about the ma
tional honor know almost nothing o.
the country's foreign possessions aut
care more about getting enough to ca
aud wear and better places to live thai
about anything else
They have no disposition TO see thci
young men transported as conscripts t,
Africa.
Tniteracy being Widespread, the
don't very generally understand JUS
what their government plans. The
have been given the impression tha
Portugal is being imposed on am
disposed to be moderately enthusiastic
over the talk Of rcsistance--so long q
Il is merely talk,
The moment however, that conscrlp
tion Is attempted on an extensive seal
and taxes begin 10 inerease i Is
practical certainty that there will be al
outbreak.
It's likeliest result is the establish
ment Of real working class govern
ment more nearly in the masses owl
interest than any other In Europe.
-
Az pnris.--Tt was reported Austria