Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-02
BY HENRY w. BUM.
following is a brief summary
Of the most important news of
the world for the seven days


TIME following is a brief summary
Of the most important news of
the world for the seven days
ended February 1:
SPA1N-On January % the govern
ment headed by Primo de Rivera re-
signed. The circumstances Immediate
ly preceding the resignation are not
clear. The marquis submitted to the
II chief officers of the army, navy and
guardia civil the question whether, in
their opinior., the interests Of the coun-
try would be served the better by con-
or their resignation. The reply was in
the latter sense. Some say that the
marquis was surprised, others opine
that he and his singular court of ap-
peal were cooperating tremendously In
execution Of a plan calculated to ia
chitate his exit with as little to do as
possible. Some say that the King,
de Rivera, If continued IN power, might
ere long fall with q crash that might
endanger the monarchy, found means
to influence the replies Of the II; but
people will be saying things.
The King directed Gen. Berenguer,
mead OF his military household and
formerly high commissioner in Spanish
Morocco under Primo de Rivera, to
form a. government, which he did
promptly; He announces that the
constitution of 1876 will be at once
restored, and that elections to a new
cortes will soon be held. The new
cabinet Is not impressive, its only mem
Der of international reputation Uf Gen.
Berenguer be excepted) being the Duke
of Alba. minister of education. All but
three Of the eight members are civil
ians. Gen. Berenguer must have been
disconnected by the refusal of Francis
CO Canbo, the Catalonian industrialist
and financier, and formerly minister
of finance and economy, to accept that
portfolio once more. The world will
watch with interest the process of
the proposed restoration, pending which
the royal prerogative will play the COM
manding role. No doubt reorganization
of the old parties will take some time.
The national assembly, scheduled to re-
convene on January % to put the final
touches on a new constitution, did not
so reconvene, and no doubt assembly
and constitution have passed into limbo
Primo de Rivera, Marques de Estella,
then captain general Of Barcelona, came
into power on September IL, 1928, by a
coup d'etat, apparently with the con-
nivance OF the King; suspending the
constitution, dissolving the Cortes,
ESTABLISHING Jtle LLllltdLy QnCCUOTdCe, IN
effect becoming dictator. In April, 1924
he formed a party called the Patriotic
Union, for which he seems to have con-
templated a role assimilated to that of
the Fascist party in Italy; but this
party made but neager progress toward
realizing its founders aims. On Deem
Der 5, 1925, he substituted for the MILL
tary directorate nominally civilian
government, but he continued effectively
dictator until his resignation the other
day. In December, 1927, he brought
into being a national assembly, the
constituent body above glanced at.
From the first the Marques had prom
ised return to constitutional normal
| ity," but he did not mean by that ex-
| preston return to the absurd old
travesty of the British parliamentary
system. There must, of course, be a
constitution embodying the principle Of
popular representation, but, in his view,
it was even more important that it
should embody or be linked with guar
antees against return of caciquismo, or