Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-31
SPANS NEUTRALITY
|SSTUD|ED POLICY
BY HERBERT COREY.

MADRID, July 2o.-"Spain will GER
tainly not voluntarily abandon her
neutrality.
Every responsible man in politics
and finance appreciates the Importance
of close relations with England and
France. especially in commercial and
the Mediterranean and Moroccan ques-
lions.
Spain has greatly prospered during
the war, except that the fruit-growing
areas have suffered by reason Of the
inability to export"
Those are the three declarations of
greatest Importance made to me In
writing by the Marquis de Lima. the
Spanish minister of state. In effect the
statement is that of the cabinet as O.
whole. for I had submitted a list of
questions to be answered by Senior
Dato, the prime minister.
Trouble in the Air.
celona affair broke out, in which a
group of rebelliously inclined deputies
sought to hold a meeting of the par
Lament against the orders of the gov
eminent. Nothing happened of any
consequence. but in a Latin country
anything may happen at any time That
is why the windows Of the lower floors
are crossed by huge iron bars and why
shop windows are covered by steel
shutters at night.
Premier Dato asked the Marquis de
Lima to respond for him.
His statement that Spain will GER
eainIy not abandon her neutrality
should put an end to the irresponsible
to the effect that Spain will take this
belligerent action or that The Ro-
manones ministry fell because Spain
feared Count Romanones might dump
war in SPANS lap at any moment, after
his note in which he sent practical
ultimatum to Germany for her attacks
upon Spanish ships. With Romanones
the liberal party went out of power
although there was a short ad interim
administration by Garcia Prieto, lib
eral leader-and the conservatives with
Dato as premier took the cabinet.
. Premier Not Pro-German.
l am assured by a diplomat who is a
close friend and warm admirer of
Senior Dato that the latter is by no
popular opinion, however he is credit
ed with at least holding the scales
very sternly balanced between the
allies and Germany. while Senior Maura,
sentative party, is perilously close to
being Germanophile. In recent
speech Maura took the ground that
Spain must remain on friendly terms
instanced her lack of preparation her
geographical position and the Medi-
terranean and Moroccan question as
proof Then he went on to give in the
most heated language the reasons why
Spain must not love the allies. even
though she works with them.
1t is this wholly businesslike atti-
tude that the Spanish cabinet takes
Marquis de Lima made the explicit
statement that Spain will not abandon
her neutrality voluntarily" as Spain
has no engagements but those which
any war contingencies. She has no
aspirations of ACKNOWLEDGMENT and
public opinion sticks to neutrality"
In response to the next question, in
which it was suggested that the lower
orders are pro-ally. but that the ruling
classes in Spain are for the most part
pro-German. the Marquis de Lima re-
piled as follows:
and finance appreciates the Importance
of close relations with England and
France. especially in commercial ques-
lions and in the Mediterranean and
Moroccan fields. Spain esteems also
lations with Italy and the United
States. irresponsible people. whether
high or low, show their personal SYM
pathies for any OF the belligerents.
and it SO happens with the press. but
this does not alter the clear and def
mite position of Spain in international
politics. as established by the conven-
tons OF 1906, 1907 and 1917, which do
not exclude friendly relations with all
nations"
In a single paragraph the attitude
of official Spain is revealed. as I have
found 1t. One does not expect from
the minister of state an expression of
sympathy for the allies cause. He
states coolly and straightforwardly the
reasons why Spain must remain on
friendly terms with the entente pow
ers. The Significance is that every
other politician one meets states the
Same reason. II not in the same words
but is apt to join to them an indica-
ton that SPANS course is dictated by
drawing room and office are assuredly
pro-German. 1t is to the great ma
jority of less important folk one must