Evening star., 1926-06-03
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL y. COLLINS.

| cetiousIy, as the "Rotativos." In
plain United States language they
were the "Rotarian Club Of Portugal"
1t has been intimated that the pres
ent overturning is but rensscerce
of that rotarian exercise.
In 1906 King Carlos appointed
Senior Franco prime minister be
cause he belonged not TO the Ro-
tarisns. He Immediately. with the
approval of the King. undertook re-
forms which antsRonized the old
leaders Of both parties. He dissolved
the Cortes. suspended civil liberties
and presented a decree which the
King signed (there bAinR NO Cortes
to discuss it,. by which any political
offender could he seized and trane-
ported To Africa upon moments
notice. without trial.
In 1910 the army rose IN revolU-
ton. Carlos and the heir-sppsrent
were assassinated. and at the head
of the insurgents was Lieut.. Machsdo
last week the President OF Portu-
gal. Machado said OF that Franco
regime. The dictatorship left vs.
but one liberty-that OF hatred"
Manuel succeeded to the throne.
Later a provisional government had
been set up. the newly elected Cortes
by law abolished the monarchy (Oc-
tober IS, 1S1D, and also the Council
of state. Council of Peers and all
hereditary titles. Ii broadened suf-
frage to include not only all who
had held 1t under the monarchy, hut
all others who could read. except
soldiers. bankrupts and ex-convicts.-
Yet the army had created the Re
public!
The dethroned King Manuel ned to
England. and later. Machedo was
made President. One Of his first acts
was to release all Royalists from
office. He was the war Presidert"
October S. 1918. TO December 8, 1910.
and. under the inspirs ton Of England,
he seized all German vessels IN
Portuguese harbors. besides contrib
uting heavy artillery and. subse.
quently. an army 10 the allies. But IN
the midst of the World War
Portuguese revolution drove Machadc
out Of ONCE and substituted a "Junts"
with Sidoneo Paes as head-latsr
electing Paes a. President. For the
last two or three years Machado has
again been President. Last Tuesdays
resigna ton was under pressure Of the
new revolution.
y =
Ex King Manuel has never aban-
doned his claims to the throne. In
May s. 1892. the oficisl prass organ
Of Manuel. published in Paris. an.
nounced an alleged agreement BE-
tween Dom Miguel. another pretender.
and his successor as pretender. Dom
Duarte Nuno. 10 whom Miguel had
given q quitclsim to the throne IN
aY.ffa ~ Rre -
exking Manuel. party Of the second
part. This agreement was as follows:
I. Manuel IL recos nized by the Mig
uelists and Nunoists as King.
2. Manuel agrees that in case he
dies without heir mis- successor shall
be chosen by the Cortes.
3. King Manuel. upon resuming
power. shall consult the Cortes on
amending the constitution. and upon
a new concordat with the Vatican.
BY this agreement. there remains
only one line claiming the throne
that OF Manuel
But the present revolution In not
the whole story of PortuEal's troubles.
There is the charge of tyranny over
her 5000 900 natives in African col
Oniee. az made and reviewed by Prof.
Ross Of the Wisconsin University,
who has recently spent nearly two
months with an interpreter. inter
viewing the Africans. The tyranny
charges are against the Portuguese
managers of sugar and other enter
prises there. He declares that the
natives are forced TO work.
The Portuguese authorities. through
their representatives at the League
of Nations, point to the fact that In
all African "tyrannizing" over the S.
OO0. 900 natives the government main
tains only 500 soldiers, and that the
only compulsory work OF the natives
Ia to work out their hut tax" Of
about one pound sterling per year
for q whole family. They do that
with from month to six weeks Of
work upon the public roads or other
public enterprises. This IL part OF
the governments effort to teach the
native men to work: otherwise. they,
as savaEes. spend all their time in
hunting and fishing. leaving all held
work 70 their wives.
tosDssasAs. 1eee. In -1aut -skCsntneA