FRANCE’S NEW WAR

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 May 1925, Page 5

FRANCE’S NEW WAR

" RIFFS MEAN BUSINESS. ’ CENSORSHIP /ON NEWS. 1 • . WWW ? <■*/’ i • * ; ••’ .*- rr . 17? \ r •• •. » (Australian and N.Z. Cilble’ Association.) ’. ,/'■/. LONDON,„May U. '' Tlie . “Daily. Herald’s’.’ Pans cor? respondent says : ‘‘The situation m French Morocco is really much more grave than is officially admitted. Une of the disquieting symptoms is the Premier’s, 5 M. ' .Paibleveri admissuori that thq press 'telegrams ’.from' Morocco are being cerisored.. Information in military circles shows that the Kiffs have, not been repulsed, • but ' only checked,- and that with the greatest difficulty; ‘ Abdel Krim is waging trench warfare {ilong a front of 121 miles. ' , . ' ' . '

The Communist Deputy, M. Beythoh;.'/reveals that ' ( duririg the' spring of 19^3,-' M-‘ Ppincar'e coipsen'ting,' he (Berthpri) saw Abdel Krim. ip' Paris. The Riff leader then interviewed, trie Foreign - Office,, whp. offered' Jiini . fi’ssistfince against the Spaniards in return for. hir 7 acceptance of. a ; Fren.cri Protectorate. oyer the .Riffs,, Abdel Krim rejected. this offer, and France thereupon ioined iy Spain’s attacks •upon the Riffs., , .. ' v

k FRENCH ; , ' ‘ . LONDON, May 14. ", . Reuter’s Rabat, coi'respondent re,ports • At dawn yesterday, Frenqli columns, under. Generals Colombat and Freydenburg, supported by. many.. aerQ.’ ■planes, and artillery, . dislodged the -Riffs after a stubborn' resistance from ■fortified positions on the Biban range. On • retreating/ northwards; the. Riff c were, plastered, by French aviators, and posses ,were, severe. The withdrawal was general by noon. The FrenclM'elieved several .outposts, 'using the bayonet., ,