PORTUGAL

New Zealand Tablet, 24 July 1913, Page 55

PORTUGAL

TREATMENT OF POLITICAL PRISONERS. Adeline Duchess of Bedford (says the Catholic Times) has written to the Liberal papers a letter expressing surprise and regret that they have withheld their support from the effort she has recently made to enlist British sympathy in favor of an amnesty for the Portuguese political prisoners. She shows how harsh is the ill-treatment the prisoners suffer and expresses the opinion that their condition ought to appeal to all lovers of justice. So it should, but, for whatever reason, the British Liberal journalists who are so

eloquent in denouncing ;? foreign tyranny have been dumb with regard to the Portuguese ;: ' atrocities: Whether they are silent outspoken is-not now of much importance. The sufferings of the 'prisoners'' constitute only a small part of a, question which is rapidly approaching solution. Costa's tyranny is drawing to an ; end, and with a ■ fair degree of certainty it may be predicted that as Franco's dictatorship brought the days of the Monarchy to a close,' Costa's misgovernment will bring about the collapse of the present regime, Whatever may happen then, there will be less wickedness and corruption in the Government and the. Portuguese people, released from the yoke of servitude imposed on them by an anti-Christian secret organisation, will be able to breathe more freely.