The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-07-29
EUROPE'S WAR CLOUD.

| WAN S1ooDs
It is surprising to sec such a sudden
and black war cloud arise as has arisen
in Europe and is spreading over the
great nations there. Roughly outlined,
the conditions appear to be about
these: Germany saw that France and
Spain, whose interests appear to be
greater than those of any other Euro
pean nation in Morocco, were taking
steps TO quiet disorders in that coun-
| try The Kaiser made visit 10 the
! Moroccan coast, and assured the Sui
tan that be would stand by him, and
| would not allow him to be abused by
| France and Spain. This made tre-
mendous stir, because no European
politicians or diplomats considered that
Germany had any special interests in
Morocco that required such n pro.
nouncement.
In the contentious that arose there
upon, it was agreed that the nations
should have conference at Algeciras,
on the Spanish coast, to consider the
Moroccan question, That conference
practically decided that the general
consensus of European opinion which
had existed Heretofore should CON
tinue, that France and Spain would be
responsible for disorders in that EN-
pirc.
Accordingly, when the Sultan was be.
seiged in his Northern capital of Fez,
French expedition started from the
Atlantic coast for his relief On the
approach Of this expedition to Fee,
Germany gave warning that it would
be we'll for the French not to enter
Fee. 1t was Impossible, however, at
that stage Of the proceeding, to refrain
from entering Fez, and no attention
was paid to the German warning.
Thereupon Germany pounccd upon Aga
dir. and occupied it. demanding com
pensation and share in what the
Kaiser evidently considered to be the
spoliation of Morocco and its divis-
ion among the powers in interest.
France protested against that occupa-
ton. Great Britain sees in ii men
ace to her channels of commerce in both
the Mediterranean and along the west
coast of Africa, and takes a stalwart
position against that occupation; back
ing France fully, but thus far taking
no actual part in the conversations
between France and Germany on the
subject, But the warning given by the
British Ministry, and the prompt back
ing of that Ministry by the leaders OF
the opposition, show at once the depth
Of feeling which has been aroused in
Great Britain by Germany's action,
and the determination Of the British |
government not to permit German seiz-
ures of Agadir to stand.
The war-cloud looks threatening in
deed at the present time, and yet it
would be the part of extreme unwis-
dom to engage IN war over what ap.
pears to be so trivial an excuse.
Doubtless Agadir in itself is of small |
consequence, but the action of Ger.
many, isolated and reckless, in seizipg
hat port, apparently in defiance of the
agreements at the convention of Alge-
;iras, and in defiance of the interests
Of France, Spain, and Great Britain,
IS such provocative of war that, un.
less Germany recedes, the danger of
war appears really to be imminent, But,
,an Germany recede9 1t appears from
the German position, that this recess
sion can only be made through "com.
pensation' obtained elsewhere. But
the suggested compensation in the
kongo would be entirely at the expense
of France. and would embrace the ex-
tension of the German coast control in
West Africa that Great Britain not
only objects to. but resents And so the
situation is critical, not because there
IS anything critical in the main situa.
ton itself, but because of the sudden
and reckless action of Germany in pre-.
cipitating a move that stirs to the
depths the self-respect, and menaces
The interests of France, Great Britain,
aud Spain