The Hawera Star. WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1928. INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 25 July 1928, Page 6

The Hawera Star.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1928. INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS.

Delivered every evening by 6 o'clock In Rawera. Manaio. Kormanby, Okaiawa. Bltham. Mangatoki. Kaponsra. Alton j Harleyvillfc • Patea. Waverlev. Mo.oia, Whakamara. Ohangai, Meremere. Fraser Rond, and Arnrem

There are a few places that possess a degree of importance solely because of their geographical position, and Tangier is one of them. The nations generally ‘Claissod as Mediterranean Powers regard the c'oinitirol of this email 1 Moroccan port as so vital that all insist upon having a share in the aldminisftration. Five yeans ago Great Britain, Franco and Spain- drew up an agreement;, noit by any means the lirisit, eonstitutinig Tangier an initennational port ail'd allocating certain posts and duties bo their rospeiefivo momimees, and; Italy, although much looeuipiod wiltb internal troubles, 'entered an” emphtaic protest. The Government at Romo has steadily refused toi recognise the new constitution, and has maintain c d a Minister there. Tihe Mixed Tribunal hate been ignored, and not long ago Signor Mussolini sent a military officer t o Tangier "It'o symbolise the persistent protest® of Rome. ’ ’ The exclusion of the Italians from the conversations of 1923 was due to French opposition, nnd the British Government;, then nnd since, expressed its .willingness that tho Italian Govemimcnit should become a party to- any agreement. A solution of the difficulty was found in first reconciling the French and Spanish claims, for the Government ot Madrid had demanded practically a free hand in (Tangier. A new agreement-, endorsed by jurist.® from the interested Powers, has been, :imitralled 1 by the diplomatic representatives, and' ratification toy the Governments eoneennod shank) remove iv constant source of irritation., if not of danger, in. (the Mediterranean. The publicist® who speciailits'e in mlafcters of foreign politics halve placed great importance on. tho outcome of the- Tangier negotiations, because of the influence iit may have, an other, and probably more thorny, problem's. - ‘ ‘ Tho eon.feronce,” one writer stated, ‘ ‘ may ibe the turning point in Afeddt-erraneam problem's, and in Framco-Italiam relations, and by its bearing on Italian prositigo may ddtermine Italian' 'diplomacy in the

Afediltenramea'n, tbo Balkans, and in southeTtn amid c'erttral Europe. ’ ’ A general agreement d«i to bo welcomed .for many reasons. The Tangier dispute has been a drviidimg influence, a'nid a settlement by a. canf oreneo will be a, striking nllu'sltrati.on of initeirraaitionial concilia•ti'on amid ’co-oporation. One possible bone 'of elonifemtiiom will have been remoyied, amid the tmieatsatre of mnecetss aieihi'ovod should incline the Powers concerned in. 'other MdKLtctrrameani problems to adopt (similar c aurse® in connection with them. • The interests of France amid Italy, pairtfcmurtlanly, appear to conflict in other spheres l , and a satiistfaidtOry sdttlem.ent of the Tangier trouble should do something to create a tfrienidly atmosphere amid enable outsltandiing questions to bo approached with '.miiituiail 'confidence. In the wi'diecr sphere of iwonld polities the agrce-nnomt imisjt ibei lotf vailne in again d'omiortslt(rating that by peaceful means, eframk conversations, amd a willingness to ciompromdse, the thinigs that threaten to adversely affect relations between the naJtionis can be dealt with eft’ec/tajvely. Each agreement must do something t'o establish, more.' strongly itho settlicment of difficulties along these lines', and the Tangier Pact, viewed from this angle, may prove to bo a. contribution of no mean ■value to international friendship.