A GRIM CONTEST

Wairarapa Age, 10 February 1927, Page 5

A GRIM CONTEST

REVOLT IN PORTUGAL SPREADING. GENERAL RAILWAY STRIKE DECLARED. WHOLE COUNTRY IN A FERMENT, PARIS, February 8. Messages from the Portuguese frontier emphasise that the revolt is spreading. The whole country is now in a ferment. A general railway strike has been proclaimed. Sat.crs fiom the cruisers Vasco Di Gt«ma and Carvalho Aranja have mutinied and occupied several quarters in Lisbon. Fierce fighting is going on. The Government is using a large number of aeroplanes to I.omt insurgent positions. Despite the violent bombardment tho insurgents at Oporto maintain their hold of the city. The bulk of the gatrison has joined the movement and has ti'-en rs.-iPcrced from Valencia in the teeth of >-e i .vy Government firo from the south bank of the River Douro. Many civilians in Oporto have been wounded by machine-gun fire. The insurgents demand ‘the abolition of Senor Carmona’s dictatorship. The latier retorted by ordering the arrest of 150 journalists and publicists in Lisbon, alleged to be implicated in the revolution.—(A. and N.Z.). A DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT. TO RESTORE REPUBLIC. (Received Wednesday, 7.45 p.m.). MNDON, February 9. Twenty-four hours have now passed without direct news from Portugal, but the Post’s” Madrid correspondent, telegraphing yesterday evenings, says the Government has in. consequence of the attitude of discontented railway employees, to place the State lines under military control. The military are also guarding all Government offices in Lisbon whose excepting the War Ministry’s, have abandoned work. Further arrests of journalists have been made, and some employees of the Post and Telegraph Department have also been arrested for acclaiming the revolution. The correspondent affirms that, contrary to official reports, civilians did participate in the fighting in Oporto, throwing hand bombs at the Government troops. Some people appeared to run amok, attempting to kill without discrimination. A proposal by the Consul for Uruguay for an armistice was rejected by the Government, whose concentration of troops around Oporto continues. The rebels are making every effort to hold the bridge of Don Luis over the River Douro, connecting Oporto with the suburb of Villa Nova De Gara, on the left bank, but the fire of the Government troops is becoming more intense. Travellers from Portugal affirm that ti e situation at Oporto is extremely difficult for the Government. Scenes in the streets are truly terrible, bitter encounters occurring between loyai and rebel troops. One cavalry squadron was entirely annihilated. The seriousness of the situation is aggravated by a strike on the Southern and South-west railways.

Well-informed circles in Madrid and Paris agree that the revolt is not directed towards the restoration of the monarchy, but, on the contrary, is a big democratic movement and the most important since the flight of King Manuel on October 6, 1910. The political parties for six years have been fighting each other and securing power in turn after successive revolts and much bloodshed. The most recent of these brought the leaders of the military caste into power, resulting in practically a dictatorial Government, with General Carmona as President. Against his dictatorial policy all the republican parties have become united, while tho army as a whole is also declared to be dissatisfied with the existing regime. The revolutionaries, in a manifesto, declare that their aim is the restoration of the Republican Constitution. The signatories include prominent persons, such as Alvaro Da Castro, Leader of the Republican Party; Norton Da Mattos, formerly Ambassador in London; Alfonsa Dacosta, former leader of the Democratic party and a representative on the League of Nations and General Sousa Diaz. The latest advice states that martial law is operative throughout the whole country. —(A. and N.Z.). DISPATCH OF BRITISH WARSHIPS (Received Wednesday, 7.5 p.m.). GIBRALTAR, February S. The cruise# Comus has left for Lisbon and the destroyers Windsor and , Westminster are going to Oporto to protect British lives and interests.—-(A. and N. 3.).