Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-10
EUROPEANS SEE SPANISH
REVOLT AS BLOW TO TRADE
UpheavaI Held Chance for Reds to Gain
Foothold-NervOus NeighbOrs
Waiting and Watching.

League of Nations activities. And yet,
seen from within, in any capital save
perhaps Paris, viewed in the light IN
which all Europeans Of all countries see
it. the old continent is in full crisis and
the area of disorder, far from diminish
ing, is gaining.
The fact that in another country
government has broken down, that
traditional and long established system
has collapsed, that new men and new
conceptions are to replace the old, the
inescapable conclusion that at best
transition must be marked with both
economic and political disarray there
fore accentuates European anxiety. The
republican majority in France and the
Labor faction in Britain may publicly
celebrate the fight of Alfonso, but as
practical matter both are face to lace
with the dead certainty that the Span
ish revolution means an increase IN
domestic unemployment in both coun-
tries.
Italy Sees Blow to Prestige.
Italy. on the other hand must see
in the collapse of dictatorship in spain
direct blow to the prestige OF tasclst
dictatorship, precisely as it celebrated
the arrival Of Primo de Rivera in Spain
a few years ago as an evidence OF the
spread of the Italian doctrines. That
Spanish events may yet prove an incl
tation to the restless and diSsatlsf1ed
Socialists of Poland goes without saying.
The American who over his break
fast table lays down his newspaper and
eXclaims, well, another king in the
discard" naturally sees the event as
one more of the, to him, inevitable
steps in the spread OF that republican
idea which Is dear and familiar to citi-
zens of the United States. The Euro
pean, on the other hand. whether re-
publican or a monarchist, a progressive
or nationalist, just as naturally lden-
titles the event as a new extension OF
the area of disorder in his own gravely
smitten continent, and thus as some
thing which can seriously affect his
own circumstances.
In contemporary Europe 1t Is the
politics, the international relations, that
one hears most about in the press and
in casual conversations, but 1t is the
economic and social conditions which
fill the minds Of thoughtful people to
far greater extent. Thus, while from
distance one has the picture Of solidly
constituted states, such as existed before
1914. quarreling over the old familiar
questions OF power, prestige and terri
tory. the truth is that, aside from
France, there is today no European
state so solidly established both eco
nomically and politically that it could
seriously think of an international
conflict.
Europe has lived through q hard
Winter, an incredibly hard Winter, Sus-
tanned by the hope of recovery in the
Spring. That recovery has not come.
Unemployment in Germany on proper
lions Yaster than the British tends to
become permanent, No country save
Britain has the financial resources TO
carry such a burden. Germany, sub
stantially without reserves, must have
loans to exist. These loans do not
promise to bring about recovery; rather
at most they serve to lay temporarily
the shadow Of red revolution.
Soviet Stock Takes Big Fall.
background Of all minds. When as be-
tween 1926 and 1929 there was measur-
able recovery In Europe generally and
in Germany in particular, the Soviet
stock fell tremendously. Bolshevism,
instead of being propaganda Of pros
perity and happiness, became in the
minds of the workingmen Of all coun-
tries the doctrine of hunger and misery.
The Soviet game seemed up even as
recently as 1929, when the Young plan
was adopted and the French evacuation
But since the economic blizzard" hit
Europe the reverse process has been in
progress. Soviet propaganda again OBJ
tains willing hearers among the millions
of unemployed and miserable every
where. The struggle between the ele-
mentS OF order and disorder, between
law and red anarchy, has been resumed.
Prosperous capitalism does not now
fearlessly invite comparison with starry
ing Sovietisn1.
All of which amounts TO saying that
the Spanish revolution has in some
measure constituted a fresh shock to
sorely strained European nerves II
the revolution OF Spain can carry IL of
with success and, above all, without
disorders at home, which must have
grave economic and political repercus-
sions beyond their borders. the event
may later be celebrated abroad as it is
now being celebrated in Madrid. But.
in the historic words OF Asquith, which
were not without evil omen, Europe will
now wait and see"
And in the present circumstances one
cannot fail to recall the totally differ
ent repercussion all over the planet
when the latest King before Alfonso
took the road into exile and made way
for democracy. William IFS flight was
hailed as a victory for liberty. Thirteen
years later AlfonsoS departure leaves
the world in doubt as to whether the
triumph Is for liberty or anarchy. It
takes more time than one expected, this
making the world safe for democracy.
Copyright, 1917