THE MOROCCAN WAR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19531, 14 July 1925, Page 6

THE MOROCCAN WAR.

Spain and France, both now deeply involved, are finding that it is a severe task by which they are confronted in Morocco, and apparently they would be at all reluctant to permit Great Britain to lend a hand in the tion of the warlike Riffs. It would certainly be a remarkable development in the Moroccan struggle if the present year were to see three European Powers instead of one joined in opposition to Abd-el-Krim and hia tribesmen. Fortunately such a development does not seem probable. The French entered the lists against the Riffs in April last because, as it was stated, “certain minor measures for the protection of friendly tribes were becoming unavoidable.” It was not long before the minor measures developed into major operations, indicative of a colonial war on a considerable scale. The French and Spanish Governments having come to certain arrangements for mutual cooperation, overtures have been made to Great Britain, through Madrid, which, while circumspectly worded, have appeared tantamount to an invitation to her to throw her weight into the balance in the interests of peace in Morocco. But while Great Britain is sympathetic to the two European Governments that are concerned, she is not prepared to / translate her sympathy into armed Support. The Spanish authorities have sought to impress the British .Government with the desirability of intervention with a view to the protection of Tangier, the special zone in Morocco in which Britain is interested as a party to the Convention guaranteeing its neutrality. Mr Chamberlain stated in the House of Commons a few days ago that he did not consider that British interests in Tangier were in immediate danger, but that the situation was being carefully watched. The British Note to Madrid seems to have embodied a definite refusal to take any action in the international zone such as might give the' leader of the Riffs a pretext for challenging its neutrality. This is the discreet answer demanded by the circumstances. If Great Britain, accepting the Spanish and French conclusions, were to send troops to Tangier at the present time, such a step on her part would ( wear a provocative aspect in the, view of the Riffs, and in any event there- is room for doubt respecting the necessity for such action. Unquestionably the Empire would be very disagreeably surprised were events to move in a direction' that would involve British participation in the fighting in Morocco. As The Times puts it: “It is impossible for Britain to allow herself to be drawn, into an obscure Moroccan conflict in any such indirect and indefinitely compromising manner. Morocco is a Franco-Spanish concern. They are the protecting Powers.” Judged by what has been made known of the contents of the Note to Madrid, the British Foreign Office is desirous of impressing on both the Spanish and French Governments its dislike of any measures, such as have been proposed, that might have the ' unfortunate effect of connecting the Tangier zone with the sphere of conflict. The reports respecting the fighting in Morocco, in which the French have latterly been engaged, have been too conflicting to give much idea of what is actually happening. Between the Franco-Spanish peace terms and those demanded by Abd-el-Krim there is evidently a gulf that will not be bridged before much fresh blood and treasure have been poured out in Morocco. Earljr in the present year Abd-el-Krim, interviewed by a special correspondent of the Chicago Tribune, said: “Our struggle is exclusively national, and our only enemy is Spain. . . . Nothing less than the complete surrender of the Spanish protectorate will satisfy us.” The position has altered since then, and the peace has been broken in the French sphere of influence. It is not likely that the Moors, a quickblooded people with a martial history, are watching with indifference the stand made by the leader of the Riffs, and in a Moslem country it can never he quite certain that one section of the people will not rise in support of co-religionists against Christian domination. Such a consideration renders the more necessary a decisive assertion of FrancoSpanish prestige in Morocco if peace is to be restored.