THE SPANIARDS.

Taihape Daily Times, 1 December 1917, Page 6

THE SPANIARDS.

HUNS ARM ANARCHISTS

(By H. J. Greenwall, the Daily Ex press Correspondent.) - - PAR^S

Senor Alexander Lerroux, leader of the Spanish Republican Party, who has contrived to elude the clutches of the Spanish police, arrived here this morning, and granted me an interview. He allows me to make the following authorised statement regarding Ms and his party's part in the recent revolutionary troubles: Senor Lerroux said: "You remember I told you in Madrid, when the Daiiy Express sent you on a special mission to Spain, that 'we were ready for a political revolution? Subsequently I modified my views, but when the Union leaders approaches me with schemes declaring a general strike I decided that I would, if possible, profit by the occasion } but personally I •wanted to delay the occasion.

EIGHT DAYS' GRACE. "There is a Spanish law which forces strikers to give eight .days' notice of their intentions, and thus the authorities were able to call up the first and second military reserves,' and, -with the standing army, quell any disturbances. To do this they had to make an imposing display of armed force. They massed and used artillery and machine-guns. It is only fair that I should state that the army was absolutely loyal to the King. The disturbances spread all over Spain, and certain criminal acts -were committed. "I should like the English people to understand that there are two quite distinct parties of strikers. One is the workmen's unions, the others call themselves an uglier one—Anarchists. I do not charge them, all, but I do charge some of the latter with receiving Germany money for the purpose of creating a general strike with the the object of immobilising the workers and preventing the carrying out of the Allies' contracts. "The Germans are clever enough to cover up all traces of their cunning but I must mention one smaH, significant incident which occurred on May-day last, when I arranged the monster meeting in favour of the Allies, which was held in the Maison du Peuple at Barcelona. The meeting broke up in disorder because Anarchists, armed with revolvers were scattered among the crowd intimidating peaceful citizens. "We who were on the "platform charged the disturbcts wkh sticks and routed them, knocking down about 8 of them. We found that each had a revolver of German manufacture. Still more significant was the fact that each had an equal sum of money on his person.

IN HIDING. "When quelling last month's disorders the authorities ordered the arrests of myself and Senor Domingo was caught I having faithful lieutenants "with me changed my hiding-place every day, and was thus at>le to Keep my work going. A few days ago, I crossed the frontier in a swift motorcar and reached a certain place, from which I took a boat and landed in France. I shall remain abroa- until the state of siege now existing in Spain is raised. "The warrant for my arrest gives no particulars but I am suspected of having received money from the Allies to promote the revolution. I denied this to you i n Madrid, and I deny it again. If I had received money I certainly should not have allowed my news paper, El Radical, to die for want of funds. I have already lost 700,000 pese-' tas (£28,000) there in waging a proAlly campaign. It is true I have always been in favour of Spain entering the war on the Allies 'sides, but knowing how sincerely she wisUes to remain neutral I should be a traitor to my country if I tried to force her ino the war. "Have you ever thought how terrible it will be for Spain if the end of the war finds her in the same situation as she is in now? The only salvation for the Spanish monarchy lies in evolution. We are partisans of evolution, we are only accidental revolutionists. There is nothing to be done now, but when circumstances permit I shall return to Spain to work out my life's ideals."