THE TANGIER CONFERENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18999, 23 October 1923, Page 8

THE TANGIER CONFERENCE.

SiGXOR Mussolini is determined to uphold the national dignity of Italy. He has discovered that ano+Lor slight has been put upon it by the arrangements into which Great Britain, France, and Spain have entered to hold a conference for the seM;lem*Ti; of the futiire status of Tangier. JTo is -'.i'd to be bent upon insisting that the olnim of Italj to be represented at tae Couferen.ce shall

be admitted. It is possible that he may carry his point, but it is rather curious that at this stage of the history of the Tangier problem a fourth Power should be so strenuously seeking to participate in deliberations hitherto confined to Great Britain, France, and Spain, the purpose of which is to secure a mutually satisfactory adjustment of their respective interests in Tangier with the concurrence of the Sultan of Morocco. Nothing was heard in Italy in this connection when early in 1914 representatives of Great Britain, France, and Spain evolved an elaborate, scheme for the international administration of Tangier—a scheme which came to nothing because the war intervened. But Italy has become possessed of a new sense of her importance as a Mediterranean Power. It is to be hoped that her present attitude will not further complicate the problem and delay a settlement which is overdue. The importance of Tangier to Great Britain is in the first place strategical. Great Britain holds Gibraltar in order that her communications with the Mediterranean may be safeguarded. But an unfriendly Power established on the other side of the Strait could, if so minded, greatly interfere with the usefulness of Gibraltar to Great Britain. The economic importance, potential rather than actual, of Tangier is, moreover, too substantial to be overlooked. Great Britain holds a considerable share of the trade of Morocco. It is a trade which is capable of a large development. Further, Tangier seems destined to become the terminus of a great West African railway which must sooner or later be constructed, for it is the nearest point to Europe on the African coast. Various significant possibilities are associated with this aspect of the town, , small and ill-equipped at present but destined, it is considered, by its position, to become sooner or later for Western Africa what Constantinople is for Eastern Europe. Unfortunately, jealousies and animosities displayed by the interested Powers have in the past led to the failure of all attempts to create an adequate form of government for this little territory.