Evening star., 1926-06-13

| reSS of public affairs.
But what would you put in its
placer"
Favors New System.
II would replace 1t by completely
new and original system of govern
| ment which ! cannot outline today.
! We shall devise a system as demo-
cratic as parliamentarism, but far
more effective"
"Will your system last?'
1T must last, not for my personal
convenience but for the good of the
country. A century of misgovernnfent
f, demands at least SO years of a strong
| administration"
Your coup detat followed Musso
! limit by a little less than a year. Was
yours influenced by his?"
ut was. There is no doubt that the
decay of Spain had reached a point at
| which change would have occurred
even if Mussolini had never existed.
But as a matter of fact Mussolini's
action showed me what l had to do to
save the country. Mussolini is a torch
which affords light to nations. l be-
fieve with him that the influence of
what is called public opinion on the
acts Of a government must be strictly
limited that Is to say, that the masses
must not direct the government. but
the government must lead the masses.
[ also believe with Mussolini that the
principle of liberty is very pretty as
principle, but is no longer sufficiently
effective as a rule of conduct OF
nation and that ii must be replaced
by the principle of authority.
"Mussolini," he continued, lis Ger.
tainly not conservative. He is
revolutionary, but a national revolu-
tionary who respects tradition and
often turns to very ancient institu-
tions. We, too. are revolutionaries In
that sense, because we consider that
we must revolutionize all the organ.
isms of the state-teaching, the civil
service. the fiscal system-in a word,
everything We are only at the be-
ginning of this national and indis-
pensable revolution"
Are you going to follow Mussolini
in the province of syndicalism?
Spain More Conservative.
II do not think So Here we are
more conservative than Mussolini.
We lean on a party, the Patriotic
Union, on a militia, the Somaten, on
the army and on the neutral masses.
What is the international policy
of Spain?"
"The present is a period of perfect
balance. We maintain the most
friendly relations with all countries.
Diplomatic and military collaboration
in Morocco has strengthened our
bonds with France. Our friendship
with England Is traditional. Is not
our beautiful Queen herself an Eng
lish princess? We have just signed
a commercial treaty with Germany.
We look upon Portugal as a sister
nation. while to Italy we are bound
by affinity of race, by the resem-
blance of our political systems and
by the reciprocal visits of our sover-
eigns. AS regards America. we en-
tertain the deepest and most sincere
affection both for Latin America and
for the United States"
Did you read, sir, the speech that
Lord Cecil delivered in the House of
Lords on the League of Nations on
April 21?'
TN the speech in question Eiscount
Cecil said that the British Govern.
ment's instructions to it's representa-
tives-himself and Sir Austen Cham
berlain-at Geneva were unchanged
so far as they were relevant to the
matters that would come before the
commission. One of these was that
there should be adherence to the rule
that only the great powers should be
permanent members of the council)
Certainly l did"
Ibid you consider 1t a clear state
ment?"
= II did
"And what is your opinion on it?'
Want Permanent Seat.
Here is my answer. We are of
the opinion that Spain Is entitled to
a. permanent seat on the council of
the League of Nations. Spain consid-
ers herself a first-class power by rea-
son of her history, her area, the num-
ber of her inhabitants, by the fact
that she possesses two wealthy and
very important island groups the
Balearic and the Canary Islands),
owing to her colonial heritage which.
admit, is now a modest one, and
owing also to worldwide interest In
Morocco. But even If Spain were not
a first class power. she would still be
the most important of the nations
which did not take part In the Great
War, and all the world recognizes
that during that war she observed
loyal and generous neutrality. For
all these reasons it would seem alb
surd to prevent her even temporarily,
from participating in the mission of
the League of Nations.
Moreover. Spain has a right to
permanent seat because of her his.
tory, because of the race she repre-
sents, because of her personal merits
and because of the steady work she
has carried out within the league.
Therefore, if Spain meets with seri-
Gus obstacles in obtaining a perma-
nent seat: If she sees, in fact, that
the door is shut in her face. we, who
have. after all. no bind faith in the
effectiveness of the League of Nations.
will not show ourselves too stubborn
in our desire to belong to it,"
After this categorical declaration,
in spite of the diplomatic language
in which it was conveyed, l realized
that Primo de Rivera would not say
anything more. I. therefore. with.
drew just as the minister of war, the
Duke oe Tetuan, whose family name
is O'Donnell, came in to discuss an
urgent matter with the prime min-
lister. He wanted to talk about Moroc.
co. and although I am a journalist,
l have not yet forgotten the meaning
of the word discretion.
Later, however, the prime minister
gave me very complete expression
on Morocco.
Sees Problems Solution.
"The surrender of Abd-el.Krim Is,
of course, a very important factor in
the Moroccan campaign. This un.
conditional capitulatiun leads us to.
ward a real solution of the Moroccan
problem, namely, a total disarmament
of the tribes and organization of the
occupied zones in such manner as
to assure security and economic de.
velopment in the territory"
And the prisoners?" 1 asked.
I'VE have already given orders to
the airplanes to transport the wound.
ed and sick to hospitals as quickly
as possible. l cannot say yet what
will be done with Abd-el-Krim. In
any case, the rebel chiefs submitted
to the sultan and indirectly to the
protecting powers, whose commanders.