The Washington times., 1917-04-03
NOTLIKE NICHOLAS,
KING ALFONSO SAYS
Will Head His Troops and Share
Their Fate if the Need
Should Arise.

MADRID (undated), by way of the
Spanish frontier, via Paris, April q
Strong measures adopted by the Span
ish government have checked wide
spread agitation which assumed dis
tinct revolutionary aspect, although
Premier Romanones, in a formal
statement. declares the government
refuses to treat the movement as
revolutionary.
The troubles of the last week were
based on a manifesto signed by twen-
ty-six heads OF labor organizations,
in all parts of the country, reciting
the grievances of the workmen, at
taclIing the present form Of govern
ment, and announcing that a general
strike would be inaugurated. The de-
mand for a change in the form of
government was regarded as more
serious than the threat OF a strike,
owing to the unrest that followed the
upheaval in Russia, and the govern
ment decided upon drastic measures.
Sixteen Of the leaders who signed
the manifesto were arrested, charged
with seditious utterances, the labor
exchanges in Madrid and the prov
inces were closed. and a royal decree
was issued placing the country vir-
tually under martial law by the sus-
pension of the constitutional guarantees
for free speech, speedy trials, etc. A
rigid censorship also was inaugurated.
preventing mention of the manifesto
or references to the character of the
movement.
Movement Believed Checked.
At the outset, there was much ap-
prehension of eventualities, but 1t is
now. believed the summary action OF
the kovernment has postponed devel-
opment of the movement, IL 1t has not
entirely broken it up. Only a few
scattered movements among the
workmen themselves are in evidence,
making it plain that there is no or
ganization capable of coping with the
strong military and police forces un-
der government control
Troops have been moved to BARGE
Iona and the northern mining section.
where there is a strong republican
feeling, but the only serious disorder
reported was at Valladolid, where q
clash between workmen and gen.
darmes led to the injury of three
guardsmen.
The capital remained calm but ex
pectant, apparently believing that the
events in Russia might lead to some
thing similar here. There Is no doubt
that the Russian movement and the
republican regime in nearby Portugal
has stirred feeling in Spain along sim
liar lines. 1t is also. asserted that Ger
man influence figured in stirring up
discord, so as to keep SPAIN fully oc
cupied with home affairs.
Caused by War Depression
The manifesto which precipitated
the troubles was the outgrowth Of tbs
high price and scarcity OF food and
coal, the suspension of exports In
Spain's wine and olive oil trade, be
>cause of the blockade, and the gen
eral arrangement of trade and indus
try as the result of the war.
King Alfonso remained in the capi'
tai throughout the agitation and is
reported to have told his advisers that
there would be no repetition of the
experience Of his cousin. Nicholas, in
Russia, as he would go to the head of
the troops, IL necessity required, and
share fate with them. This report
has had the effect OF raising the
Kings prestige, making it appear that
he would display ffrmness and cour'
age in any emergency likely to arise
The action of the government, has
however, virtually crushed the move
ment in its inception, and the calm
prevailing in most of the principal
centers leads to the belief that disor
der Mas ceased to be probability fol
the present.