REACHING FOR TANGIER.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 199, 23 August 1926, Page 7

REACHING FOR TANGIER.

OTHER NATIONS PERTURBED. j MENACE TO GIBRALTAR. I I LONDON", August 22. A most important official move has been made by General Primo de Rivera. i Prime Minister of Snaiii. who has rej quested, through diplomatic channels, I that the Governments of Britain, France [and Italy should agree either to the inI corporation of Tangier as an enclave I within Spain's Moroccan protectorate, or the granting by the League of Nations to Spain of a mandate over Tanjiar. The correspondent of the ""Daily Telegraph" emphasises that the strategic ' position, so far as Britain is concerned. is that the control of Tangier by any single Power might constitute a menace to Gibraltar and to the freedom of the Straits, wLieh are vital to the British Xax - y. France is perturbed for different reasons. Her relations with Soain are not so harmonious as would appear on the surface, in spite of the common efforts of the French and the Spanish asainst the late Riff leader. Abd-el-Krim. Moreover, under the present regime at Tangier France exercises a marked predominance over the other Powers. This constitutes the chief grievance of Spain. I TROUBLE rcR GENEVA. J Italy's position is a puzzle, in view of ' the , absence from Rome of the Prime ■ Minister, Signor Mussolini. It is, however, certain that she has not withdrawn her recent demands for participation in j the administration of Tangier. The question will create difficulty at Geneva in September. British diplomacy 'is confronted by obstacles which can only be surmounted by frank and fearless realisations of its Locarno aims. The resettlement of Tangier has nothing to do with the Geneva procrammc. Nor is there reason for the British Government to allow itself to be drawn into fresh controversies about Spanish. Polish or any other claims for seats on the Council of the League. The commission which is to meet on August 30 is competent to discuss the number and character of the seats on the Council, but not the allocations of seats. That is a matter for the Assembly itself. In this connection the British Government possesses the '"trump card.' . It is Britain who, without receiving anything in return, has undertaken, under the Treaty of Locarno, to guarantee the i security of other signatories. ] The latter were warned then that this j was Britain's last and only offer of the I kind. The hour may have arrived, or j soon may arrive, when a reminder of this fact may not be inopportune, snys the correspondent. If so, it should not j remain without effect upon the obstruc- ! tionists.— (A. and X.Z.)