The evening leader. (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) 191?-19??, 1919-03-31
Portugal Affairs
Are Unsettled

LISBON, Mar. correspondence OF
The Associated Press. 1.-THE mon
archy established at Oporto and other
districts in the north of Portugal
proved ephemeral. Barely month
after it's proclamation and enthusiast
tic welcome, a counter revolution with
in the city, seconding the attack from
outside by the republican troops sent
by the government, succeeded with
equal enthusiasm in restoring the re-
publican flag on the spires and stee-
Piles of Portugal.
The royalists were led by Paiva
Couceiro, very brave and tenacious
soldier but an inefficient organizer.
The continued dissensions between re-
publican factions led him to suppose
the moment propitious for return to
the monarchy, and, without any agree
ment with the royalists of Lisbon and
the south, he placed himself at the
head of the monarchistic elements of
the north, and, at the head of several
i thousand troops, proclaimed the mon
archy at Oporto and in the northern
provinces.
AZ provisional government was. es
tabished; laws were issued, and To-
cal administrative authorities appoint
ed everywhere. Coucerin expected that
other victorious royalist risings would
follow all over the country. Instead
of this, the Lisbon instruction of
Monsanto failed, and the same occur
red in other localities, while in many
centers there were no disturbances of
public order.
In face of the royalist danger, all
the republicans Joined forces against
the common enemy; momentariIy for
getting clashing ambitions, and unit
ing to combat the north Thousands
of troops, seconded by the marines
and civilians, warships and aircraft,
were soon in full operation against the
monarchist hosts, whose strongholds,
one after another, fell into the gov
ernment's hands, and the surrounding
of Oporto was merely a question of
time.
Then came the sudden dramatic eli
max. The royalist government had
resolved to appeal to the foreign pow
ers for the recognition of their bel
ligerencv. Republican officers in Opor-
to. who had been meeting secretly and
conspiring to bring about the downfall
of the "kinedom" of the north, decided
not to wait any longer, as the accept
ance of beIligerency by foreign powers
meant the arrival of arms, ammuni-
ton and the moral support which
would weaken the claims of a repub-
lican victory.
Paiva Couceiro and his staff were
fighting ct Lanlego on the 18th. and
on that day the counter-revolution at
Oporto broke out. Sharp fighting took
place; but the big batteries of Leixoes
Bay were in republican hands, so that
the warships could approach and land
their contingents at Oporto without
danger.
The "royalist government" was plac-
ed under arrest; prisoners were freed,
and the blue and white flag replaced
by the red ang green banner of the
republic. The royalist troops return
ing from Lamego and other scenes of
hard. fighting, weary, hungry and de-
moralized, surrendered and were is
armed by the republican forces await
ing them outside the gates of Oporto.
About Couceiro there are many ru-
mors. Some say he is still fighting,
others that he has been killed, COM
mitted suicide, or is safe over the
Spanish border.
The republican government is still
in Oporto recognizing public services
and reinstating loyal authorities.
Thousands o farrests have beenemade,
and many royalists are said to have
escaped into Spain, where they are
disarmed by the Spanish frontier
guards.