NERVOUSNESS IN GERMANY

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21988, 12 January 1937, Page 9

NERVOUSNESS IN GERMANY

Foreign Reaction To

Moroccan Activity

FRANCE USING

RIFP leader

Q. allegation made IN

BERLIN

(EXITED THESE ASSOCIATION—COPTHIGHT.)

(Received January 11, 10.15 p.m.)

LONDON, January 11. The Berlin correspondent of “The Times” says the alarm in Paris and London over the Moroccan situation has caused surprise and anxiety. Official quarters are uncomfortable at the impression created by the ' D ews that M. Vienot, French Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, he d a general staff conference, especially a* it was soon after the visit of Mr J Duff-Codper (British Secretary for War) to Paris, to which political reasons are attributed. . , The interview of the British • Foreign Secretary (Mr R. A. Eden) with M. Charles Corbin (French Ambassador to London) is also regarded with nervousness, which has gSlncreased by the French naval precautions. This alertness on the jjart of France and Britain shakes Se opinion that France would not ooenly intervene in developments arising through the Spanish war, or if she B did, would not be supported first reaction seems to have been a combination of uneasiness, anger, and determination to pursue the Spanish policy unswervingly in face of what may only be bluff, with the conviction that any chance of agreement on the basis of the Italian and German replies to the joint note about volunteers is doomed to * 3 Meanwhile, in addition to denials, a counter-campaign has developed alleging that France is using Abd-el-Krim, who has planned a wup to prevent Spanish Morocco remaining in General Franco s hands, thus depriving him of success

in Spain. t [Abd-el-Krim, the famous Moroccan leader, made so many difficulties for the Spaniards that m 1924 they de- , died to evacuate the Riff c s,untry. ' His operations against the French were less successful, and in 1926 tribal defections -became so serious .that .he surrendered unconditionally. He was exiled and sent to the island of Reonion, in the Indian Ocean]. _. CHARGES AGAINST < ' t FRANCE COMMENT IN GERMAN . NEWSPAPERS TRUMPED UP CHARGES AS K SMOKE-SCREEN (Received, January 12, 2 aon.) LONDON, January 11. With screaming headlines: “France wants war in Morocco,” the entire German press accuses ?M. Blum’s Government of trumping up the ’ rhargpa. of German activities as a smoke-screen for French occupation of Morocco. The official German news agency claims to reveal several plans by the French ; general staff. It accuses France of long ago preparing for the seizure of Spanish Africa, ana adds that the formation of a soviet in the south of France is imminent. Paris newspapers do not join m the German campaign of vituperation and. content themselves with . repeating the facts of German intervention m Morocco. “Pertinax,” in . the “Echo de Paris,” explains that so far only small detachments have ' „ arrived, though there is reason to believe that some are disguised. Preparations have been made to accommodate large forces of Germans in Ceuta.‘ The day .they land the French Government will be forced to take action. General Nogues and other military authorities have prepared ; to apply the necessary measures. It is understood that General Franco has given a reassuring reply • to the French note about the German infiltration to Morocco. He says he has no intention of contravening ther agreements between France and Spain. . ' ft is understood that France will delay the application of the volunteer bill until other countries give satisfactory proof of good faith. I -