The sun., 1917-05-29


Slav revolution end 1t is an offset to
such disaffectior as really exists in
Russia.
spsin's Provocstisa - Enter the
war;. - i
Premier GAncrA PfIEro ihay Off
cially disregard the resolution Of the
great mass meeting = Madrid calling
upon him 40 make-n public declaration
Of Spain's sympathy with the Entente
Allies. but he must give his attention
to the sinking of the Spanish mail
steamer c. de Elzagulrre. with the
loss Of more than eighty lives. Early
reports did not fix the cause Of the
disaster, but as the mail steamer was
the thirty-ninth or foftieth merchant
ship to be lost to Spain, the people,
remembering the torpedoing Of the
San Fulgencio. will have no patience
with official suggestions that the Ger
mans may not have been responsible
IOT tue ucstTuCtiOh VI tuc ". ue biSh-
guirre. She was outward bound for
Manila and carried the Spanish Con-
sun to Ceylon. who is said to be among
the missing.
The humiliatlng details Of the tor
pedoing of the San Fulgencio in mid
April are still ranking in the Spanish
mind. The crew we're forced TO place
bombs In her hold; the Spanish flag
was snatched from the hands of her
captain. who was trying to save 1t,
and II was treated like rag" Cap
tain and crew were jeered as they
took to the ships boats, slxty-four
miles from land. without provisions,
chart. compass or water.
A few days later. on April 10,
the Romanones Cabinet resigned.
Whether before rellndulshing Office II
sent note Of protest 10 Berlin Is not
clear. On the same dny GARCIA
PRIEro formed n Ministry and oil
April 20 the Spanish Ambassador at
Berlin handed n vigorous note to the
German Imperial Government point
ing out that the San Fulgencio when
torpedOed "was bringing coal from
England. to which country she had
previously under n German safe con-
duct taken fruit" Setting forth the
grievances Of Spain catcgorically and
complaining Of the unfriendly recep-
ton Of Spanish protests. particularly
of Germnny's truculent justification
of her course the note concluded:
III the Imperial Government persists
In declaring that 1t adheres to It's de-
termination in order to defend Its life.
then It must not be astonished IL Spain
for the same reasons must emphasize
her right to defend her own life
In form and temper IT was similar
To those notes that President WILSON
addressed to Germany before he
handed Count BERSsToRFF his pass
ports. Spain has been going through
much the same experience TINT finally
drove the United States into war with
Germany. Spanish merchantmen have
been sunk without warning. The sea
has been strewn with Spanish dead
But all The while Germany has pro-
tested her friendship for Spain and
EXPRESSED nstonishment that torpedo
Ing Spanish ships could be construed
ns q violation of International law or
II fiouting Of Spain.
The explanation Of course Is that
the Imperial Government presumed
upon the strength Of Germanophilt
sentiment In Spain, which permeatet
the Liberal party. In spite of the
patriotic policy of ROMANoNEs.
Several prominent men of his party
| like President VILLANUEvA OF the
| Chamber of Deputies. the Marquis
ALHrcEMAs and Sehor MAURA, Leaned
| To the German side. or advocated non
resistance. Moreover, the Ministerial
organs. the Impartial and Epocd, were
guarded in their comments upon Ger
man aggression.
What Spain will do to protect hel
sovereignty under provocation tha
touches her pride to the quick IL ,
question that the people may soon an
swer The mass meeting In Madrlt
was a pOrtent. Vigorous action cal
hardly he expected Of Premier PRIETo
unless his hand Is forced by public In
dignatIon. As a politician nc ha'
never been robust. King ALFONSO
sympathies are well known, but per
sonally he has been a model Of dis
cretion. Spain seems to be drifting
into war. Consistency would require
her to follow the example Of th'
| United States.
|