Evening star., 1932-09-05

The decision of the Spanish cabinet
that sentence of death on Gen. San
iurjo. leader of the unsuccessful mon
archist plot againt the government,
should be commuted to Imprisonment
Is commended in this country. Its
wisdom is based, according to COM
ment here, on the fact that history
shows that making martyrs Is poor pol
ICY The services of this army omcer
to the country also are considered as
important factors In the action taken,
although radicals strongly advocated
the extreme penalty for the general.
"Commendable mercy in committing
to life Imprisonment" Is lauded by the
Cleveland News. with the conclusion
that "the world looks to see no political
upheaval as the result Of the leniency
shown the general, or any confession OF
weakness by the present government
because it did not make an example
of him" The News offers the esti-
mate of the proceedings: Misguided,
misinformed and no more than hal1-
hearted in his venture, this dismal fig-
ure was virtually made to bear the
whole burden of the uprising. The
Spanish government has. shown itself
big enough to renounce the firing squad
for a political dissenter who foollshly
marched at the head of an army bent
possibly on nothing worse than a dem
onstration. The cabinet divided sharp
ly over communication of the death sem
tence, and in that schism was to be
seen more of the revolution than un-
happy Sanjurjo ever promoted. Inc
radicals in the cabinet foresaw the
sure collapse Of the government II 1t
weakened toward royalist. Fortu-
nately the moderates held them In
check and prevented their resigning
and thereby possibly plunging Spain In
further riots or a real uprising
"A Young government" thinks the
Nashville Banner, "can make no worse
error than to manufacture martyrs,
and 1t is a poor course for any govern
ment to follow" Suggesting that Gen.
Sanjurjo is "a potentially ridiculous
figure in prison CELL" while, If he had
been executed by the government, he
would presumably grow to heroic
proportions" the Banner comments:
1.-THE decision Of the Spanish cabinet
was not an easy one, however, Tor the
radical elements in the Chamber OF
Deputies and among the people at large
were vindictive toward Gen. SanJurjo
dllQ dll klC CoChbSAs AAASJ
for his life and have since protested
rather bitterly and vehemently because
he was allowed to live. There Is also
the possibility that other royalist plot
tiers will be encouraged by the failure
Of the cabinet to act with all possible
severity. All in all, though, clemency
Is to be preferred. Gen. SanJurJos
son was set free, incidentally, on the
ground that his loyalty to his father
rather than disloyalty to the republic
led him to take what part he had IN
the revolt. If others later presume on
the good nature of the republic 1t Will
be time enough to show the iron hand"
This paper also finds lessons in history,
which it presents thus: If the Spanish
radicals had taken the trouble to study
and reflect, history would have pre-.
sented them innumerable evidences OF
the extreme folly of making martyrs.
Faced with the choice OF beheading
Charles as traitor or Of letting him
run away to the continent to live as the
futile figure he was, Cromwell and his
supporters chose to behead, and from
that day, In reality, their cause was
doomed and the restoration assured.
It is pointed out by the San Antonio
Express that "Sanjurjo did nothing to
prevent the fall Of the monarchy II
months ago. but that "he stroye to
put the Infante Don Juan upon the
throne. ignoring former King Alfonsos