CRISIS IN SPAIN.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 July 1917, Page 2

CRISIS IN SPAIN.

A GRAVE SITUATION: A. LONDON, July 18. The “Daily Chronicle’s” Madrid cor- y respondent has transmitted a message a' , Jf indirectly- It declares that Spain never had a crisis so great and menacing. The obscure official assurances jthat nothing alarming is occurring are contradicted by the most rigid and most implacable censorship over im- imposed in Spain. Much of th© existing uneasiness is duo to t.h© newspapers being forced ifCi into silence. Fifty per cent of the population are determined that Spain >■, :) shall remain outside the war, yet w per cent, of th© citizens ar e suffering all the privations of combatant countries. situation has been ©xtreniely delicate since Jun© Ist- - ; Y The Army’s fair demands have for , the- moment hoen satisfied, - and the Government has at last listened to the lenmnds of the railwftymen and civil : servants. There will doubtles 6 l>e set- ' - tied when the Government has the necessary millions in Tits possession. Tho real evil will continue if the present methods remain unaltered., - : Tho Jesirq of ‘tKe province© Viz r cava, and Aragon, and Andalusia for home rule is becoming th©. dominant question. The deputies provinces mot at Victoria and pro- - : v claimed tho necessity for autonomous government. • • • ' Tho problem .is much, graver afe-'-Ga-..: , • talon ia, where a violent outhreat is ' threatened:A-A collision occurred 7; beo. T tween th© Madrid 'Government; and Cat n lon ran deputies on July let. The . A-■ result wn s a miraculous fusion of tho *‘ opposing parties. -I.n> Catalonia- a meeting, backed by. the whole public opinion of the Catalonian provinces, invited all members of Parliament to. hold a, consultative sitting at Barce- X l o na ori Tliursday. < Tho Government announced that it - « . was prepared to prevent such a meet - - ing, even by force. The entire country 'X awaits to-morrow. There is intense in- i- : .-'A; terest and rapid developments are ex-. A p©atod, every movement being full of , gravity, i ' ' ARRESTS AT BARCELONA, a - ,v ? ——T. - MADRID, July 18. There have been numerous arrests, /' /K; including Socialists and editors. .A ' large number of deputies belonging to . ri’ ;he Republican and Reformist parties - hav© gone to Barcelona, whero a se.parate Parliament has been convoked. Sonor Dftto (Premier) has hurriedly ;vr gone to Lagranja, whore King .Alfonso is taking a holiday. . -