IN SPAIN

Hokitika Guardian, 15 April 1931, Page 5

IN SPAIN

SPANISH THRONE. KING ALFONSO ABDICATES. (Extraordinary.) . (Received 8.55 a.m.) MADRID, April 14. King Alfonso lias abdicates. SOCIALIST MANIFESO (United Press Awmciai/ion —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). MADRID, April 13. The Cabinet bad a lengthy sitting. , . It is believed it decided 'to resign, and ”• is informing King Alfonso to-morrow. The Socialist Executive has issued a manifesto to the effect that yesterday s voting was a declaration of the popular will which must not be upsdt or delayed. It says that in the event ol , an attempt to nullify this results, the Socialists, in conjunction with the Workers Union, and Republicans, would seek means of enforcing democratic rights. KING MAY ABDICATE. MADRID, April 13. 4. It is understood that King Alfonso Is determined to upold tile monarchy even if it means self-sacrifice. If ho found that his own abdictitm mas necessary, he would do so in favout of his third son, Don Juan . An important decision is expected within forty-eight hours. Public excitement has reached a high pitch, and the air is full of rumours. The Ministers are preparing to leave their offices on their resignation. THE QUEEN. LONDON. April Ur. The Supervisor of the Madrid Telephone Exchange, in reply to a “Daily Express” inquiry, declared that the Queen was not in the Palace, and that none knew her whereabouts. LONDON PRESS OPINION LONDON, April 14. The London press does not regard King Alfonso’s abdication as a likely event—at any rate, at present. “The Times’s” correspondent says that the Cabinet has adopted certain resolutions, which Senor A'jnar is submitting to the King in the morning. Repying to a question, Senor Anzar said: “What greater news than that should have proclaimed itself Republican overnight?” REPUBLICAN DEMONSTRATIOXS. MADRID. April 1.4. ~y Tilts imlice fired on a crowd who ' were serenading outside the offices of a Republican newspaper, Seven of the demonstrators were wounded, 'two scru The streets were still thronged with a singing, dancing multitude at 0/0 two o’clock this morning. PROVISION A L GOVERNMENT. FORMED. (Received this dav nt 1.5 o m.) MADRID, April 14. A provisional Republican Government has been formed consisting of: I Premier—Zamora. -4 Foreign Affairs—Leeroux. War —Azana. Marine— Guiraga. Finance —Prieto. Interior —Maura. Public Works—Albornoz. Labour—Caballero. National Economy—Barrios. Instruction —Rios. REPUBLIC PROCLAIMED. ALL NIGHT DEMONSTRATION. (Received this duv at 10.30 a.m.) MADRID, April 14. A Republic was proclaimed at Bar- / celona this afternoon. T Unconfirmed reports state Romanor- ‘ es visited the Republican leader, Zamora and intimated that King Alfonso was resigning and handing over pow er to Cabinet, which had created a Republic. A reliable report states the Royal Family, except the King departed from Madrid in a special train for Valencia. Aznar declares Cabinet has not resigned but its action in advising King Alfonso to form a Government and convoke a Constituent Cortes is regarded as tantamount to a withdrawal At midnight there was a rumour that King Alfonso had left the Palace j .' and ran into the streets, the crowd * shouting “He’s gone.” Shooting occurred at Placacibeles, where there were minor casualties. The “Central News” says after a ' clash at Puert Adelsoe after midnight, R.rmblrians occupied the Square. Police and civil guards charged and a revolver duel developed. Ihe croud scattered. Crowds, however. boisterously demonstrated throughout the night. A procession encountered a squad ol civil guards who bugled a warning and then fired a volley, causing a .matt stampede. Several demonstrators were severely j y. wounded. | One explanation of the firing is that the guards hold the belief that the i crowds wore going to the . British r '. Embassy, where it was wrongly reported that King Alfonso and family wore sheltering. j It.

KING’S SUDDEN DEPARTURE. (Received this day at 1.0 p.m.) .MADRID, April 11. King Alfonso’s departure oecuri'od W.ith uramaiic suddenness when Admiral de Rivera unexpectedly arrived at the Palace. Ten minutes alter a motor car swept through the gates with only the chauffeur in the front and Alfonso in tut* rear. iwo otuer cars followed, the first contained Rivera and the second, a squad of armed .-iy; 1 guards passing swiftly through tin' city. The cars drove to Cartagena where the King embarks in tlm morning on a Spanish warship. There was the utmost confusion in the Palace after Alfonso’s departure many servants breaking down and cluing bitterly. "So long as the King remains in Mndrhl you must he on your guard” said Maura, the new Minister, addressing die crowd from the balcony of die Home Office. Count Romanones announces that the King’s farewell message "'ill be published in the morning. MADRID. April 15. To-day’s dramatic events siicceed--1 ed a night of unparallelled demonstrations in the Capital, where crowds paraded all night shouting “Long live die Republic.” The King has gone. The army remained quietly in the background. There Was oiie incident to-day, when the civil guard encountered a cheering inob tind fired several being seriously wounded. The Republican Government has already control of the Ministry of the interior, which controls the police and civil guards throughout Spain. A general amnesty of all political prisoners is expected to be the first act. Despite definite news from Madrid the Spanish Embassy in London bad not been informed of a change in the regime at a late hour. The Spanish Ambassador will be recti lied and replaced by Senor Deayala. SPANISH PESETA. NEW YORK. April 14. The Spanish peseta in the local market, following advices of Alfonso’s, resignation, dropped forty-seven points to the value of nine point eightv-ono cents per peseta. FURTHER DETAILS. (Received this dav nt 1.30 n.m.) MADRID. April It. The hoisting of the red, purple and yellow Republican flag on the Town Hall, Post Office and other public buildings was the first intimation tli-e frantically excited populace of Madrid had that King Alfonso’s reign had ended. The appearance of Republican colours later in the afternoon followed a. day of wild rumours. Crowds thronged the streets electrified bv conflicting reports that Alfonso had already resigned and left for the frontier, The King's decision to abdicate was take after a dramatic conference between Count Romanones and Senor Zamora, at which the foreign Minister sought guarantees that the denarture of the Royal Family from Spain would be facilitated. Zamora replied that the Republican Government bad no wish to be vindictive but it was imperative that the King’s decision be known before nightfall, when workers were leaving the factories. Alfonso summoned bis Ministers to Palace at 5.30' p.m. when be signed the decree of abdication, which was commit ni oat °d to the Republican caucus sitting in l the house of Senor Midguel "Maura. A Republic was thereupon pro. claimed. but was not officinly announced in older to give Alfonso an opportunity to leave the capital. MADRID. April 14. King Alfonso’s destination is not disclosed. By Monday afternoon the results of the elections showed it was useless to disguise the necessity for an immediate decision regarding the King’s abdication if civil war was to be ;ivoided.

Senor Zamora gave the King his personal assurance that he and bis family would be conducted safely to whenever lie decided to go, ‘but be insisted that the King’s abdication should be final and with no saving clauses. r .l he King then came to the fateful decision, his decisive words being: “1 do not want to plunge Spain into civil war.”

At the same time be intimated bis decision to go to London, Alfonso formally resigned in favour of ’ Senor Aznar. but the Prime Minister declined, preferring Senor Zamora to form a Government. Within half an hour of receiving Aznar’s telephone message, the new Regime was established. Early in the afternoon the King, m bis royal saloon, awaited the Republican Ministers, who respect lully but firmly were ushered into bis presence, and they placed a long sheet parchment paper on the table tor the King’s signature. ALonso seated himself for a moment, leant bis bead in bis hands in meditating silence, and then with a gesture of resignation, be reached lor bis gold pen. and in a firm band, signed the document, which bis attendent banded to the waiting statesman, who immediately withdrew, leaving the ex-King alone.