Evening Star Newspaper, March 8, 1929, Page 34

84 POWER OF RIVERA 1S SEEN DECLINING Supreme Tests to Be Met, With Politics Develop- ing Enemies. BY LELAND STOWE, Bpecial Correspondent. of The Star. MADRID, February 27.—There is nqtinrfmc tests of his regime. & dictator in Europe who hasn't discov- ered that his first problems were his simplest ones. It is much easier to become a dictator than to remain one over a period of years. As one shrewd polmcal observer remarked to me here: “Every dictator starts very near to the peak of his power. After that he's faced more and more with the job of keeping his regime at that high level. Naturally, no dictator can do that for ®ny great length of time." : So it has been with Primo de Rivera. When he came to power his first and greatest problems were military ones— suppression of disorder, efficiency, uni- fication and centralization. The new dictator had been a soldier all his life. To accomplish these first necessities he had only to be the general which he was by training and profession. It was simply case of sound military or- ganization, and Primo de Rivera in September, 1923, did Spain a great serv- jce by restoring law and order and vespect for government. While this| task lasted he was completely in his'| element. King Alfonso XIII was well | Jjustified for his faith in the dictator. | Pressing Problems Solved. But as the Rivera regime has rounded | out one year and then another these originally important questions have been largely solved and have slipped into the background. Primo de Rivera's | ficulty is that oll“freurvlnx the sup] of the army—end that, for Primo. is a vital matter, Yet it is not a national question. The national problems in Spain today are matters for statesmen much more than for soldlers. They are questions of governmental reform, 1 reform, drafting of a new con- stitution. They are likewise questions of economic and industrial develop- ment, of tariff revision, of re-m(nrcms and maintaining balanced budgets an of a return to the gold standard. Giving full credit for the unques- tioned patriotism of the dictator and recognizing his intention to inaugu- rate governmental reforms, one finds intelligent Spaniards everywhere ask- ing: “Is Primo de Rivera qualified to solve these complicated economic and political problems?” Naturally there is a difference of opinion in the answers to this question. But there is una- nimity that Primo now faces the su- The final values of his dictatorship will be de- termined largely by the manner in which he treats them. Needs Well Trained Aides. It must be almost as generally ad- mitted that the premier’s past experi- encé has scarcely qualified him for the role he is now called on to play. He is not, nor does he claim to be an eco- nomic or financial expert—and hardly any more of a legal expert. Therefore, Primo has need of well trained aides and experienced advisers. It is evi- dent that he will need all of them and men of integrity, for the dictator more and more is finding himself in strange fields. There is always the danger of getting beyond his depth. Faced with the same problem Mus- solini—an indefatigable worker and in- disputably a widely-read man—has at- tempted to solve it by constantly. in- creasing centralization; by assuming an astonishing share of work and respon- sibility himself. As yet Rivera has not attempted to follow a course in which only one man in a million could suc- ceed. restrictions and iron hand of Fascism, but he has hesitated to ape the god- head of Fascism. Perhaps wisely so, for there is not in Primo de Rivera the defiant Napoleonic complex which radi- ates in every posture and every phrase of Il Duce. Yet the Spanish dictator- ship now stands at the pnrfl{\g of the problems are now almost negligibly | military. In fact, his only military i It must go one way or the other. He has commenced to adcpt the |° THE EVENING Apparently recognizing that Fascism minus its ruthless relentless quality would long since have fallen, Primo has elected a forceful course, Never- theless, it is impossible for the ob- server to escape the feeling that the course is counter to many of the inner- most feelings of the man. Program and Plans Outlined. However that may be, the dictator of Spain has his program and his plans. With emphatic clearness ne outlined them to me as follows: “First of all we shall prepare a project for a new constitution. We shall prepare, second, a law of public order; third, a project of electoral reform: fourth, a law of associations, and fifth, we shall pre- pare laws and regulations for the press. I do not want a Parliament as weak and ineffective a: where in Europe. Here, then, are the chief items of Primo’s immediate task and it is in | no sense the task of a coldier. It is statesman’s task and a diplomat's well, for if it is one day to be sub- mitted to the Spanish people by refer- endum, ail of these reforms must be caleulated to win the support of majority of a dozen different part and shades of public opinion. Rivera announced to the Herald Tribune his intention of completing all this work within 30 months and then resigning in favor of “a younger government and younger leaders.” Thirty months, if anything, is a challengingly brief period in which to rcbuild Spain’s Constitution and laws from the ground up. Yet upon these very Erojecca, as Primo well realizes, hinges the ultimate success or failure of the Rivera regime. ‘This is why people in Spain state frankly that Primo's dictatorship is now in its most difficult phase and that the demands upon him are de- mands requiring a well rounded man of unusual dimensions. These obser- vations are perfectly just. But they hould be linked with another. This cond observation is that the premier’s problem is a dual one. Not only is he confronted with the crucial tests of his dictatorship—with its true histori- cal values still hanging in the balance —but he is faced, more than ever be- fore, with the problem of maintaining his regime while these tasks are being done. There are two pertinent ques- tions in Spain today: some of those else- | Is Gen. de Rivera capable of satis- factorily solving the government’s mul- tiple pressing problems? Is Gen. de Rivera strong enough to hold on while the attempt to solve them is being made? Primo’s Decline Foreseen. And by the force of circumstances, the second of these questions at pres- ent should rightly be placed before the first. Although people here freely ad- mit Primo may remain in power an- other six months or a year, there are very few who would as freely gamble that he will hold on for another two years or even three. There are many, in fact, who say: “If Primo is wise he will hurry his reforms as much as pos- sible and he will step down before the feeling against him becomes too wide- spread and too unified.” With equal force they say that for Primo to think of remaining in power another five years (as he intimated in his fifth anniversary speech last September) would be foily. This con- clusion, I should judge from the premier's attitude during our inter- view not long ago, he himself has also reached, whether or not he entertained them before the incidents at Claudad Real and Valencia. At this juncture it is pertinent to consider what forces Rivera has with him and what forces he has against him. The opposition to the dictator- ship falls, roughly, into four divisions. 1. The artillery, chiefly the officers, in a group of the army comprising some 12,000 to 15,000 men. 2. The Conservative party, led by ex- Premier Sanchez Guarra, who is now under arrest. A very strong and well organized group throughout Spain. 3. The Republican party, whose chief is Alexander Lerroux. This group now claims to have considerable support, op- sing both Primo and the monarchy, it 1s not compact and its strength is questionable. 4. The Liberal party. which is split in several factions. The rich and in- fluential Count de Romanones, several times premier and cabinet minister, heads one division of Liberals. Another division is led by the Marquis Alhuce- mas. Nevertheless, the Liberals are loosely knit and indefinite as to policy Every type of Ensemble in this Sale in the A group of many charming en- sembles, advanced in style . . . subtle shades of beige and grey . . . navy and black . . . vivid new color com- binations . . . printed dresses and plain-color coats . . . every version of this accepted classic of Fashion. Really two garments for the price of one. A cloth coat and a frock of brightly colored flat crepe. . $15 A printed dress wears a cloth coat in solid color A contrasting finger-length coat - $15 A tweed coat and skirt with complementing blouse of silk, $15 A coat of ombre tweed . . .and a frock of ombre silk $15 A scarf frock chooses a tailored cloth coat . . .$15 A tailored coat combines with a tailored dress $15 A short jacket has a fringed scarf collar .. 815 A navy georgette codP over a printed crepe dress. . . $15 A navy flat crepe coat and a colorful printed dress $15 Misses’ and Women’s Sizes. covers a printed frock STAR, - WASHINGTON, and program, in this respect contrast- ing vividly. with the Conservatives. Supporters in Three Groups. Those strongly supporting the dic- tatorship may be classified in three groups. 1. The army (at least theoretically and on past record), with the excep- tion of the artillery. An army which numbers roughly some 250,000 men. 2. The dictator's “Spanish Fascisti,” consisting of two organizations. One is the Patriotic Union of young citi- zens, business men and the “Carlistas,” or partisans of the ancient pretender, Don Carlos. The second is the “Soma- tenes,” or Citizens' Armed Guard, which corresponds to the Black Shirts in Italy. The Somatenes have the right to carry arms and are armed, some with shotguns and others with whatever weapons they can get. There are about 8,000 “Somatenes” in Madrid; perhaps 100,000 of them in all Spain, but the number who would actually do battle for the dictatorship is reported as highly problematical. 3. The Spanish clergy. It should be remarked that the clergy in Spain is extremely favorable to Primo de Rivera, and that its influence, especially upon Spanish women, is enormous. In real- ity, probably the army and the clergy are the mainstays of Primo’s support. Ever since the dictator swept away seniority promotions in the Spanish army the artillery officers have been his bitter enemies and they remain so. It is virtually certain that any at- tempted coup d'etat directed against the dictatorship will be hatched among artillery officers. And it is as equally evident that any future plot of danger- ous dimensions will include, as the last one did, numerous army officers from other branches of service who are tired of Primo’s regime or have political ambitions of their own. But when a successful rebellion occurs, if one does oceur, it will include not only artillery- men and numerous sections of the gen- eral army, but also political leaders of | the Conservatives, Republican and prob- | ably Liberal parties. It may also in- clude the powerfully organized Catalan group in Northern Spain, which is the Alsatian element of Spain and which demands federation or automony. | _The opponents of Rivera number sev- | eral strong and highly capable men. B B x> D. C, FRIDAY, MARCH 8. 1929. There is Sanchez Guerra, wWho rose from a modest electoral agent in a small Spanish village to become the recog- nized leader of the Conservative party more than eight years ago. Guerra is a man of great personality. He is austere and honest. Despite his wealth he lives in utmost simplicity, and he has devoted and trustworthy followers: Likewise there is Don Alvaro Fig- ueroa, the Count de Romanones. He is known as the richest man in Spain. Highly educated, tall, dignified, white- mustached, the Count de Romanones gives an immediate impression of in- telligence, abllity and force. He en- joys the friendship and confidence of famous statesmen in almost every coun- try of Europe, and he has an equally strong following and influence at home. The Count de Romanones, from the beginning of the dictatorship, has un- compromisingly opposed Primo de Rivera, and there are few men in Spain who have as fearlessly let this fact be known. In Barcelona lives another of Primo’s outspoken enemies, Don Francisco de A. Cambo. He, too, is one of Spain’s| wealthiest citizens: a former minister | of public works, and the chief of the | Catalan party. If his influence is not | as general as that of either Sanche; Guerra or the Count de Romanones, | nevertheless Don Francisco has the merit of heading an extremely cluse-; knit organization which is relentlessly | opposed to the dictatorship. ‘ Difficulties Grow Greater. Accordingly, 1t is evident that Gen. de Rivera has aligned against him numerous powerful elements whose | leaders are outstanding. They will | one day throw everything into the bal- | ance to unseat the dictatorship and | achieve what they envisage as a “nor- mal regime” in Spain. As a result Primo’s difficulties today are greater than they have ever been in the past. His opposition is becoming more per- | Now—A Special Section on the Third Floor for Miss_Junior Miss Junior wears the sistent and more compact. His sup- port may be as strong as it has been in the past, but it is open to question. Beyond this there are two decisive factors. The control of the Spanish army and the support of the King. If Rivera loses control of the army, almost certainly he is- lost. And the words which the Count de Romanones spoke to me in the study of his home in the Paseo del Castellana have a ring to them of sound basis in fact. He said: “As long as the King supports the dictator, he is safe. But at that mo- ment when King Alfonso refuses to support him further the dictatorship 1s doomed.” (Copyright, 1920.) The fourth article in this series tells how late Queen Mother warned King Alfonso of peril in dictatorship and will appear tomorrol Two Lieutenants Resign. ‘The President has accepted the resig- nations of First Lieuts. Harold LeR. Stewart and Warren L. Whitten of the Army Medical Corps. Lieut. Stewart is fram Pennsylvania and is stationed at the Army Medical School, this city. Lieut. Whitten is from New York and is at Edgewood Arsenal, Md. Priceless Moments CAUGHT for Life In Ciné-Kodak movies we’ll show you how to make Baby's first step—his first party—finally, graduation |MITCHELL WILL APPEAR IN POCKET VETO CASE Attorney, General to Argue Govern- ment’s Side of Indian Bill Litigation Monday. Attorney General Mitchell will appear in the Supreme Court Monday to arguc the Government's side of the pocket veto case, upon the outcome of which will determine whether the pocket veto of the Muscle Shoals bill by President Coolidge was legal. The case to be argued concerns the pocket veto of an Indian bill, but the decision on the case will affect 120 sim- ilar vetoes which have been given bills between sessions of Congress. Capt. Zeliff Is Retired. Capt. Irvin W. Zeliff, United States Cavalry, at Fort Mead:, S. Dak., has been placed on the Army retired list on account of disability incident to the service. 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