DIPLOMATIC BLACKMAIL

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 48, 25 August 1926, Page 9

DIPLOMATIC BLACKMAIL

SARCASTIC EDITORIAL COMMENT.

(Sydney Sun Ciile.)

LONDON", 23rd iiugust. The "Daily News" in a leading article says: "The magic word Tangier has awakened the British Government to the dangers besetting the League of Nations' forthcoming task. The original Continental idea was to bribe or bully Germany into giving Spain a permanent seat. This failing, Spain' tried diplomatic blackmail, demanding that Tangier should become an integral part of the Spanish zone, thereby rendering Gibraltar comparatively useless as the strategic guardian of the Eastern sea routes. Britain's original view that and the- League seats were in no way connected should be maintained.

"We hope there is no truth in the assiduous rumour that Sir Austen. Chamberlain has offered Spain a; compromise, whereby, after Germany's election, Spain will be presented with Tangier, under the guise of a mandate. Apart from the dangerous possibilities of such a precedent, such as implying the- right of Italy to claim a mandate over Abyssinia, if Sir Austen Chamberlain is drawn into secret discussions he will again land in a hopeless muddle; It might be supposed after, the former devastating experience that he would have avoided mischievous diplomatic whisperings. The first object of honest statesmanship is the election of Germany." There is no need to- fear imaginary difficulties. All Sir Austen Chamberlain will need to do is to vote with the majority. The effort should not severely strain the intelligence of ti statesman created a Knight of the Garter for doing little' more than that at Locarno."