FRANCE ACCUSED OVER MOROCCO

Southland Times, Issue 23141, 6 March 1937, Page 7

FRANCE ACCUSED OVER MOROCCO

SPANISH REBEL NOTE TO POWERS PARIS UNEASY ABOUT FOREIGN ACTIVITY (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received March 5, 7.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 4. Allegations by General Francisco Franco, the Spanish rebel leader, that France is trying to provoke disturbances in Spanish Morocco in order to obtain a pretext for invading it are. dismissed as complete fabrications by official circles in Paris, says the correspondent of The Times. General Franco has addressed a Note to the signatories of the Act of Algeciras, to which Britain is a party, accusing France. He asks the Powers to appoint an international commission and requests the Non-intervention Committee to act. France, despite last month s reassurances, is not convinced that the foreign activity in Morocco is above board, says a message from Paris. Riots in Algeria, in which the Foreign Legion was stoned, are ascribed to foreign propaganda.

An agreement regulating the affairs of Morocco was signed at Algeciras in 1906. In 1904 Britain and Spain had agreed to allow France a free hand in Morocco. This Germany refused to recognize, contending that it was contrary to the Madrid Convention of 1880, which gave equal rights to all the signatory Powers. In March 1905 the Kaiser visited Tangier, and the result of Germany's interference, then and later, was that the Sultan of Morocco refused to agree to the reforms urged on him by France. The Sultan instead suggested a conference which, after the resignation of the French Foreign Minister (M. Declasse), met at Algeciras on January 16, 1906. Most of the European Powers' were represented, Spain acting as host and president. Only Austria supported Germany, and on April 7 the convention, which admitted the privileged position of France, was signed. The reforms indicated were accepted by the Sultan, and regulated the trading rights of the various nations. LOYALISTS - WILLING TO STAND ALONE GERMAN BREACHES OF NEUTRALITY (Received March 5, 10.55 p.m.) LONDON, March 5. A communique issued by the Spanish Government announces that it will accept the withdrawal of foreign volunteers in the civil war, if the insurgents reciprocate. German intervention in Spain continues, says the diplomatic correspondent of The Manchester Guardian, who asserts that a consignment of 20 tanks was sent at the end of February. Nevertheless, says the correspondent, intervention is causing internal difficulties in Germany, where the conflict between the Nazis _ and the Catholic Church is becoming intensified every day. . The Nazi newspapers explain their support of General Franco by alleging that the Vatican is supporting the Government. GREEK TANKER STRIKES MINE ONE SURVIVOR OF TERRIFIC EXPLOSION (Received March 5, 7.30 p.m.) PERPIGHAN, March 5. The Greek tanker Loulda, carrying 3000 tons of oil, struck a mine at almost the same spot as the mishap to the Llandovery Castle. A terrific explosion resulted, and the petrol caught fire. The vessel sank, and it is reported that 23 men are dead and only one was saved.