Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1930-01-28
DICTATOR
OF SPAIN
RESIGNS
Primo de Rivera Steps
Down After Ruling For
Past Seven Years.
CABINET OUT ALSO
Army Leaders Withdraw
Support And King Ac-
cepts Action.
BY JOHN DE GANDT
United Press staff Correspondent


MADRID, Spain, Jan. 2S. (U.H-
(By Telephone to Paris )-Premler
Primo De Rivera, civil dictator OF
Spain since 1923, resigned today.
His resignation was accepted by the
king.
The end Of the dictatorship came
with dramatic suddennes after two
1eiays of uncertainty. The cabinet
met this morning and ut noon the
premier met at the war office with
important heads of the army.
The entire cabinet also resigned.
The cabinet will meet later today
and officially announce the resigna-
ton. The king was expected to ask
Demasso Bcrenguer to form 4 new
cabinet.
If Berneguar refuses, Count Quad
alhorcc may be asked to head the
new cabinet.
Those at the meeting refused to
discuss what occurred, but the Unit
ed Press learned that the premier
acquainted those present with his
decision to resign.
1t was understood General Bar
rera brought, disquieting news about
The spirit of the military forces I'M
der his command~in Catalonia.
The resignation was presented to
the king this morning during n
visit of TIE premier to the palace
before the noon meeting.
Admits Mistake
Al. a
told the king:
al realize | made a mistake when
/ issued the official note asking the
II chiefs of the army whether !
still enjoyed the confidence Of the
army"
The statement is the official reas-
on given in the explanation of the
resignation.
The king accepted the resignation
Immediately and agreed to keep the
news secret until the cabinet met.
II was expected there would be
almost no lapse in government and
that the new ministry would be
formed Immediately.
If the new cabinet is headed by
General Berneguar it probably will
be military in character. Count de
Guadelhorcc mentioned as an alter
native for premier, is a civilian and
the present minister of public
works.
De Rivera, who for months, has
been weary of dictatorship and had
planned to return Spain to constitn
ti0nal government this year, forced
the issue this week. The 60 year old
premier, his patience apparently at
at end with ceaseless plots, rcvolu-
tionary movements and dissension,
pCncilled a note at 3 a. IN. Sunday
that brought matters to head.
The note was addressed to the II
military men controlling the forces
that enabled de Rivera to take
power in the bloodless revolution of
1923.
The handwriting of the note be-
trayed how the premier's fingers
trembed as he penciled the decisive
memorandum. He declared that he
! was "voluntarily submitting to o
sensational and decisive test"
The note specified that the chiefs
whose judgment he was asking were
the 10 captains general of the army,
the commander of the Moroccan
forces, the three navy captains.gen'
Nral, and the three directors, re-
speetively, of the civil guard, carab.
ineers and the disabled war veter.
ans.
1t asked them to make a "brief
discreet" investigation among the
chiefs under them and communicate
the result in writing, or if they pre-
fcrred to convene in Madrid, to re.
port to him personally.
The reaction was not long in com.
ing. The reports that reached de
Rivera were not made public but
the capital became aware yesterday
that something momentuous was i'm
pending and today's action was a
waited with intense excitement.