The Mena weekly star., 1921-10-27
HISTORY HAS NEW
 EPIC OF HERO|SM
Entire Spanish Column Fought to Death on Mount Arruit-Rivaling Custer's Last Stand, Not Man
 of 800 Escaped.
Madrid. oct. 1s.-An official com

Madrid, Oct. 18.--An official com munication received from Melilla, Morocco, announces that an armored motor car yesterday reached Mount Arruit and found there the bodies of five hundred Spanish soldiers, who were killed at their posts.
 Thus was revealed an epic of Span ish heroism that rivals the stories of the Light Brigade at Balaklava, Americas Lost Battalion of the Ar gonne and Thermopylae. Like Cus- ter's last stand at the Little Big Horn, not man escaped the onrush of the Riff tribesmen to tell of the gallant defense. Only the bodies of men and beasts gave mute, tragic evidence of the disaster.
 Had Hoped Some Had Escaped.
 The Spanish military authorities have known since early in August that General Navarro and his column were overwhelmed in the battle at Mount Arruit, but it had been hoped that some of the men, at least, had escaped death by being taken prison CT. But when the armored cars and accompanying cavalry pushed their way to the summit it was found that all--high officers and humble soldato alike-had died in defense of Spain's colonial authority.
 The battle of Mount Arruit began early in August and lasted nearly ten days, the defenders being cut off from the rest of the Spanish forces, which were pressed back toward Me lila by the Moors under Abd-el-Krin. Efforts were made to send relief col umns, but the tribesmen were too numerous and too well organized while the Spaniards had not received sufficient re-enforcements from the mother country to risk a general for ward movement.
 Airplanes Furnished Meager Supplies.
 However, the beleaguered battal- ion was aided the first few days of the siege by means of airplane. Mea- ger supplies were dropped, together with ice, which, melted, furnished the only water General Navarro and his men had to drink. In the meantime the Moors continued to press closer and closer about the summit of the peak. They were ably led and show ed many signs of advanced tactical training When relief efforts failed it was a foregone conclusion that the 1 besieged force could not noid out.
 Early in the conflict with the re- bellious Riffians, the Spanish leaders believed they had only to contend with an unorganized rabble. But they were disillusioned quickly. The tribesmen attacked in great force, and with a military precision that won admira. tion from foreign observers. They had artillery support, but lacked some of the later war weapons, such as airplanes, and it was the airplane that finally enabled the Spaniards when once the plan of campaign had been altered to meet conditions, tc take the offensive and gradually over come the Moorish resistance.
 Aroused Wave of Patriotism.
 The Mount Arruit disaster shook the Spanish government, but it also had the effect of rousing wave o1 patriotism. The result has been that | the Spanish forces since have fought bravely and with excellent effect against the rebels. The authorities are confident that Abd-el-Krin's plar to overthrow Spanish dominion in Northern Morocco will fail.