Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-19
ALFONSO ACTUAL DICTATOR
AND RIVERA WILLING TOOL
Premier's Announced Intention to Re-
sign Is Observation-Disclosures
Is FOreseen.


ing various men in the party premier
These included Sanchez Guerra, who
later became leader of the abortive ar
tillery revolt at Valencia early in 1929.
1.-The King also developed, in viola
ton of the constitution, direct in
fluence in the army by cultivating the
friendship of many of the generals,
especially those in Morocco. Proof of
this is found in the words of Premier
Joaquin Sanchez Toca, who described
the Kings intervention In army affairs
as providential initiative
Disaster Ensues.
at was under these conditions that
the disaster at Annual in Morocco oc-
Cured in June, 1921, when 10000
Spanish soldiers died and Spanish pos
sessions were lost 1t is significant In fix
ing responsibility for this debacle that
the then high commissioner OF Moroc,,
co, Gen. Berenguer, said that he had
not ordered Gen. Silvestre to execute
the disastrous military operations and
that Silvestre later committed suicide.
Some of the newspapers in Madrid,
especially Libertad, started campaign
to fix responsibility. There was
parade of 100000 protestants in Madrid
and Parliament appointed a commits
sion to investigate. This commission
was que 10 submit lLS report on oep-
TENDER IS. 1928.
The coup d'etat on the 18th fore
stalled that report, and on the 14th
Parliament was dissolved.
IT was the first one called to testify
before that commission, because OF my
book, 'Abd-el-Krim y los PriSonionerios'
I had secretly gone into the enemy
prison camps and got the truth from
the imprisoned generals and soldiers.
What did find out? My book shows
that those who profited by the coup
detat were responsible for what had
happened in Morocco.
Il was charged with treason when
Rivera declared the dictatorship and
had to flee the country. Later I re-
turned after + had been found not guilty
and the charges were removed"
Cites a French View.
When asked whether the Liberals be-
lieve that King Alfonso had a direct
hand in the overthrow of the consti-
tutional government and the installa-
ton of the Rivera dictatorship, Mr.
Oteyza smiled broadly and shrugged
his shoulders and recalled a cartoon
magazine LIE Rire showing Gen. Rivera
asking the King for permission to use
his telephone to give orders for a coup
d'etat.
Mr.. Oteyza asserted the reason there
Is a general opinion outside Spain that
the country has benefited under six
years of dictatorship was because
Rivera keeps up a perpetual mono
logue and through censorship prevents
the truth from being known.
Just consider what has happened
under the dictatorship that had not
happened for so years in Spain:
There have been three revolts, as a
result of which generals and other
high officers in the army have been
removed and imprisoned.
THE whole artillery corps was dis
solved and the officers allowed to re-
turn only by swearing allegiance to the
dictatorship
An ex-premier, Royalist and Con-
sentative, has been imprisoned.
The universities were closed all last
year."
Doubts He Will Quit.
Mr.. Oteyza does not believe that
Rivera has any intention of quitting as
dictator, and even though he does, the
dictatorship will continue.
THE only end to the dictatorship
will be through a revolution that will
establish a republic" he said. That
might come tomorrow. or it might not
come for 20 years. OF course in Spain
their is a traditional feeling for the
monarchy and also an ignorant fear
that republic is dangerous and
terrible thing.
ut is chiefly this fear Of a repetition
of the early days of the French Repub-
lie that maintains the King. He play
ed his last card with the coup d'etat.
When the dictatorship goes the mon
archy goes out with it.
"All the intellectuals in Spain, the
Nf nf NNfA
sors, ETC., all want, and are working
for. a republic. They are cooperating
with the army.
Censorship Holds Monarchy.
"only the old politicians want to save
the monarchy. and to keep them quiet
Rivera makes his promise to quit
Il believe the monarchy would not last
a week If the censorship were lifted
1t is not realized in the United States
how easily the European newspapers
are influenced and that in Spain all
newspapers must submit all proposed
news in galley proofs to the censor.
The newspaper Is fined for matter dis
approved by the censor, even though 1t
is not published. White space to show
the work of the censor cannot be print
ed. Unfavorable matter that escapes
the eye Of the censor also brings fine.
Under such conditions no wnoder the
opposition is In state of anemia."
Mr.. OteyZa has come to this country
in connection with the publication of
one of his novels by Frederick A. Stokes
Co. He was recently in Spain following
tour of the Orient.