Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-03
Personality of Spanish King
Outstanding Amid Turmoil

parliamentary government would be
/ blow to absolutism in Europe. Italy and
! Jugoslavia have the real thing, while
Turkey, Persia and Poland have some
| thing approaching dictatoria1 rule.
There is possibility that Alfonso, who
has been King for a long time, Is
smarter politician than some of his
lieutenants would have the world be-
| lieye"
Referring to the fact that, heading
a coalition cabinet that largely en-
braces monarchistS, Admiral Juan B.
AZnar has undertaken. to calm SPANS
| troubled political waters" the San An
tonic Express records that practically
all the political groups agree that the
Kings powers should be restricted
sharply" and declares that the "fate
Of the throne appears uncertain, but 1t
may be taken for granted that Spain
would not submit to another military
dictatorship"
king Alfonso Is in a tight place"
agrees the Charleston News and Courier,
quoting French opinion, however. that
1.-The setting up of a republic at this
time would be disastrous" and gen.
eral belief that the monarch will
emerge with his crown but with loss of
kinsly powers"
1.-THE cabinet apparently is not pro-
foundly impressed" says the Chicago
Daily News, "by threats of general
strikes or new instructions It evil
IDENTIFY believes that the masses Of the
Spanish people are n1onarchical at
heart. The. cabinet may be guilty of
self-deception and excessive optimism
or it may have appraised correctly the
forces OF radicalism and republicanism
The trouble in Spain is that the peas
ants and majority of the laborerS and
petty traders are Indifferent to politics.
Illiteracy, semi-feudar land tenures and
complete control of the machinery of
elections by the agents of the provincial
or central governments have kept Spain
In backward condition. It has not
been averse in principle to dictatorships.
But for economic distress and the fall
in the value Of the peseta the Berenguer
military dictatorship might have pro-
ceeded with its own leisurely plans and
its superficial changes. What the new
civilian dictatorship will DO is likely to
depend on circumstances beyond its
control"
The only prediction at all safe Is
that the confusion and dissatisfaction
will continue for long time" in the
judgment of the DeS MoineS Register
while the Roanoke Times states that
whether Admiral Aznar and the MON
archists can pacify the country IS a
question that only the future can de-
eide"
No vital question has been solved"
contends the Providence Journal. aby
the establishment of this new Conserva-
tive regime. The admiral and his as
soc1ates do not represent the great bulk
OF responsible Spanish opinion. They
are merely small body of loyalists
who have agreed to act as a stoprap
and give the King breathing space.
Around them the hosts of diSsatisfac-
ton are everywhere gathered Whisper
ing In dark corners, In remote restau-
rants and parlors, in shattered shops
and studies, from one corner of the ma
ton to the other, are the foes Of the
overeign-So3ialists, university students
fred with the dream of reform. Republic
cans, Constitutionalists, syndicalists. in
dustrial Inalcontents. The mutterinas
go on, the plottings wax, and any
morning we may hear of another armed
uprising; preceded it may be by gem