Evening star., 1934-01-07

| Marx will be able to hold together any
more than those which combined in
1881 to expel King Alfonso. That is
the fate of anti" or negative, alliances
In spite Of all appearances to the
contrary and in opposition to the opin-
ion of most observers of the Spanish
situation, it does not seem that the
November elections represent as yet the
popular scope of revolution and reac-
ton. This will be clear If we consider
what would have happened to the pres
ent government and the newly elected
Vortes If the socialist and communist
committees had decided to support the
recent anarcho-syndicalist uprising.
The conSpirators against Prima de
| Rivera and the monarchy realized their
enormous differences and mutual capit-
ulationS as soon as daylight and popu-
lar sentiment dispersed the atmosphere
Of the clandestine meetings where they
worked.
Permanent Dualism in Spain.
When the dictator fell and the King
| fled sort of subconscious mandate
made the Spaniards rally again under
| the old political and parliamentary
forms which they hated, and which had
made a Prima de Rivera possible. That
is why until now the republican regimes
have been artificial. The popular in
! tenSity of the revolutionary and repub-
| lican ideal is still awaiting expression.
A Spanish writer has observed a per-
manent dualism in Spain; institutions
on one side, real social organization
on the other.
Today We are witnessing the travail
OF popular conscience in nation of
23,000,000 inhabitants, and it deserves
all of our sympathy and respect. What
we observe is only the ephemeral atti-
tude of individual groups on the broader
surface of mass movements.
Up TO the present time the new Spain
has lacked both the traditional forces
and the military and administrative Or
ganization which had been at the COM
mand of the monarchy. 1t also lacks
that powerful inner force essential for
new social organization. That poten-
tial silent power of the masses which
overthrew the monarchy with no need
of storming the government will be a
permanent threat for the new conserva-
tive republic.
The Spanish situation of today, in
common with almost all of Latin
America, has the fact that the old po-
litical parties are again in power, ready
to strangle the revolution. Our repub-
to the elite. They were democracies of
the ruling classes.
Today, for the first time, we find in
them a condition of equilibrium between
the masses and the plutocratic elites.
The balance still tips toward the ira
ditional elements. 1t is possible that
the final bent will depend on the sue
cess or failure of Right or Left tenden-
cleS in Europe. In this sense the prob
lens of Spain may exert considerable
influence in Latin America. In a per-
feet equilibrium, the slightest weight
destroys the balance.
The present crisis in Spain is of par
ticular interest to Latin Americans as
revival of their own revolutions more
than century ago. In reality, the
Spanish revolution is nineteenth CEN
tury revolution 1t was the substitu-
tion of republic for a monarchy. But
the new Spanish regime in the process
of consolidation found itself caught up
in the economic and social complexi-
ties of a revolution of the twentieth
century.
Joins to Thwart Marxism.
The only difference between this sit
uation and the first republic in 1874
is that the second republic carries with
by party which during the first two
years tried to impose reform in the
face of an adverse public opinion. The
opposition has now joined together in
at least one aim-to thwart Marxism
Should the present political situation
in Spain continue it would mean in
the last analysis that the revolution
had changed only the outward form
of political regime without drastically
affecting the social and economic syS-
TENS. 1t would then follow the same
course as the French revolution of 1889
and of the Latin American revolutions
for independence in the first third of
the last century.
When Babeauf, author of the Mani
fest of Equals, lost his head on the
guillotine the French revolution lost
its social and economic, aspect and be-
Latin-American independence who took
social and economic reform too Sc
riously were quickly eliminated; many
of them were shot. Therefore our revo-
lutionS gave birth to independent ma
tions but failed to change the old
social order. The great landed estates
of Colonial times became the great
landed estates of the republic. The
privileges of the Spanish nobility were
perpetuated in the hands of our Creole
aristocracieS.
1t is not likely that the second re-
public will follow the same path as the
first, whose four Presidents In 10
months of the republic were unable to
organize anything to replace the mon
archy, which had to be restored.
The monarchistS who now hold the
fate of the government in their hands
realize that an attempt at restoration
at the present time would unite prac-
tically the whole of Spain against them
as it was united on the recent elec-
ton against the MARKHAM menace.
Confusion of Alliances.
In addition to the puzzle of 20 or
more parties and political groups in
Spain today-which must be explained
to a foreigner at least 10 times before
he Observation-Disclosures is the confusion
of numerous workers associations found
in hardly any other country. There
are Communists affiliated with the
Third International; three or four 9TH
er communistic groups taking no Or
ders from Moscow; the General Work
ers' Union, which supported Azana and
is affiliated with the Second Interna-
tional; the National Confederation Of
Workers, dominated by the Iberian An
archist Federation, with a membership
of more than 100000 and affiliated
with the Fourth International founded
in Berlin IL years ago.
A French writer says that in Navarro
he talked with an Anarchist who
favored an absolute monarchy! Anar-
chiStS praise disorder. They boast Of
having no program and say that once
the state is detroyed life will start based
on individual effort and natural soli-
darity In reality this program Is not
very different from some individualist
theories. In the circle of political
theology the ends of liberal and anar-
chistic thought almost touch.
Spain presents the spectacle, unique
in the world today, of a million and a
half members affiliated with a party
which proclaims these ideals and is still
able to influence thousands upon thou
sands of non-Anarchist sympathizers to
ctrika and even tn obtain the SllDpOrt