TWO ISSUES SEPARATE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 51, 28 August 1926, Page 9

TWO ISSUES SEPARATE

OPINION IN LONDON AND PARIS,

(Australian-New Zealand Cable Assn.) LONDON, 27th August.

Spain's Note relating, to Tangier has now been presented in London and Paris, as well as in Borne. It is believed the British and French Governments' replies will be in two separate parts, since both are agreed that the Tangier question cannot be linked up with Spain's claim for a permanent seat on the Council of the League of Nations. In the meantime it is being stressed that the issue of a mandate over Tangier would be entirely beyond the prerogative of the League.

The "Daily Telegraph" points out that Article 22 of the covenant limits the mandatory system to colonies and territories of ex-enemy Powers, and cannot be interpreted as connoting League interference in any State which has never been withdrawn from the operation of legitimate unchallenged sovereignty, which in this case is the Sultan of Morocco's.. The "Daily Telegraph" says • the plain specific purpose of the mandate system is to provide civilised administration for territories in which this does not exist, which certainly is not the position in Tangier, whatever may be the shortcomings of the international regime.

According to the "Evening Standard's" diplomatic correspondent, the Foreign Office at first favourably viewed Spain's claim, but the Admiralty emphatically pointed out that Tangier was just as much vital to the Mediterranean as Gibraltar, and that submarines changed the whole strategic position. Consequently,' Sir Austen Chamberlain could, go to Geneva and benevolently view any Italo-Franpo-Spanish arrangement not weakening Britain's strategic position.