The Washington herald., 1921-10-24
ENGLAND OPPOSES
FRENCH AMBITION
TO RULE TANGIER
Spain Loses Influence by
Giving Offense to
Native Chief.

PARIS. Oct. 2S.-spanish misrule
by the same man. Gen. Syivestre.
whose name was a by-word Of ter
ror during the war Of liberation in
caba, and who on July "a COM
mitted suicide because of defeat
may have as a result the loss by
Spain OF its last great colonial en-
pire.
The uprising of the Moors. July
20. which has resulted to date IN
driving the spaniards literally into
the-sea and away from some. OF the
valuable mineral areas In North
Africa, marks the last fight OF the
descendants OF Charles v to hold
the region which saw the Emper-
or's first conquests.
Not only may all Spanish Moroc-
co return to the Moors Indefinitely,
until such time as Spain or an
other country musters sufficient
force TO retake and hold IL, but
grave fears are entertained for the
security of French forces in the ad-
joining part of the territory over
which flies the tri-coIor.
Metilla Key to Situation.
Anxiety and perturbation exist
at the French colonial and war Of
fices. where, although troop move
ments are being kept strictly Sc
cret from fear of alarming the
populace, II Is known that orders
have been issued to enormously
strengthen the French line of re-
-. 10
Morocco.
The key to the situation is con-
sidered by military experts to be
Melilla. on the seacoast, which was
captured by Spain in 1896. four
years after Christopher Columbus
first set foot in North America.
II MelIlla is taken # is regarded
as a certainty that Spain will have
definitely lost the last vestige OF
her colonial empire.
Not only is the French war Of
fee regarding the GUERRILLA warfare
in Spanish Morocco closely to be
prepared for probable emergencies.
but the diplomats of the DUAL de
Orsay are examining the situation
in an endeavor to find wherein the
losses OF Spain may be turned to
the benefit of France.
France Covets Morocco.
II is an open secret that France
for centuries has cast coyetous eyes
on Spanish Morocco. for, wis that
Joined to her possessions her EN-
pire OF North Africa would be COM
plete.
Charges in radical Spanish news
papers that France was back Of
the present rebellion are, however.
scoffed at by acute observers, who
say that such a proceeding would
be too risky. since the safety OF
French Morocco might easily be-
come involved.
French aspirations toward Tan
gier are bitterly opposed by Eng
land. which Is reluctant to see a
great Mediterranean power inEtalled
at one of the gateways to Egypt
and the East. England herself has
always hoped some day 70 get Tan
gier under her own control. thus
completing the Mediterranean bot
tle-neck'' with Gibraltar directly
opposite
Military Rule Ruthless.
Spain never comprehended, say
these observers, that the Moors are
neither negro nor Indian. but a
people apart, distinguished for their
culture and Intelligence. She gov
erned these people by ruthless mill
tary law. and some OF. the tales
that have seeped out from the war
shaken country bring back to mind
stories OF the Inquisition.
During recent years, by spending
enormous sums Of money and Civ
ing high honors TO native chiefs
Spain succeeded in some measure
in pacifying the zone, but the Riff
the wild mountainous country in
which the present trouble began
remained always 2 breeding ground
for rebellion.
Inhabitants of the Rir have
never submitted to rule. even by
the powerful sultans, to whom
nevertheless they looked as their
religious chiefs.
Simmering with discomfort and
ripe for revolution as they were,
however. they lacked a leader. Him
they have now found in Allouch. the
pirate. descendant of the barbarous
Corsairs. who once were kings OF
the Mediterranean.
Rebukes Proud Moor.
Allouch saw with rage in his
heart the Spanish influence slowly
insinuating itself into the life OF
his country by the force of modern
small-arms and gold. The straw
that broke the cameTs back. how
ever. was the acceptance by his
cousin, Mohammed Add ell Krim. OF
the title Of Cadi.
As q result Of his elevation, Add
ell Krim, q learned scholar, was
admitted by, royal order into the
most intimate society Of Melilla
In this Allouch saw the work OF
treason and determined that he
would undo the efforts Of Spain by
tanning the embers OF rebellion
into fame.
But one day the traditional
Spanish haughtiness to conquered
peoples destroyed the fruit of years
Of effort. Gen. Sytvestre, COM
mander Of Melilla. rebuked Add el
Krim as he would have rebuked a
servant. and the proud Moorish