Saturday, 1 March 1930

Madrid:  

Fears of everything from a coup to a new dictatorship by either the king or new Prime Minister Damaso Berenguer sweep the nation.  The government has prohibited political gatherings, and threatened martial law if civil disorders continue.  King Alfonso is said to be hosting supporters from around the country to bolster his position, and staying in contact with military generals, who are reportedly assuring him that they support him.  Meanwhile police patrol the streets to prevent demonstrations, press freedoms are curtailed, and those arrested in the previous days’ disorder are said to be charged with treason.  Yet rumors also fly that several military officers are resigning and holding conference at Barcelona – possible prelude to a coup. 

Germany: 

Leipzig:  Police raid a communist meeting hall and find 16 machine guns and 125 rifles that were stolen from a nearby military barracks on Thursday.  Police in a nearby village find another 6 machine guns and 30 rifles at another communist gathering place. 

Berlin:  Meanwhile, fighting breaks out between nationalists and communists during a funeral for a nationalist student who was allegedly killed by the communists.  As the funeral procession is passing, the communists reportedly jeer, and trouble ensues.  Police eventually break up the melee and the funeral continues.

Poland:  

Newspaper correspondents report a steady stream of peasants crossing the border from Russia to flee loss of land, food shortages and villages burned at the hands of soviet authorities.  Many are shot by Russian border guards as they try to escape.  One detachment of border guards, however, reportedly joins the refugees and escapes into Poland, sick of going hungry and being ordered to shoot their own people.  Poland, however, appeals to the League of Nations for aid in helping the refugees, as unemployment and economic conditions in Poland are already so bad due to the depression that they fear things will get desperate. 

New York:  

Matthew Woll, President of the American Federation of Labor, says the recent communist disturbances around the country have been financed by the Communist International, to the tune of $1.25 million.  He says the communist strategy is to take advantage of rising unemployment to urge revolution.  Additionally, federal, state and local authorities across the nation report they’re also uncovering evidence of major communist demonstrations being planned for March 6.