Evening star., 1924-08-27
In TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

The war between Spain and the
Rif tribe of Morocco grows more
threatening to Spain and may over
turn even the dictator. Gen. Primo de
Rivera-if not the dynasty itself.
There is no country which so COM
pletely illustrates the changing con-
dftfons of government as does Spain
not because Spain changes, but rather
because she stands like a milepost
beside the highway along which all
the world is progressing.
Spain holds in high esteem old
fashioned glory" and the idea OF
imperial conquest in her colonial
acquisitions. She Is the greatest OF
all failures as a coloniZing kingdom
For Is years she has been in active
and costly warfare to hold possession
of a strip of rocky. coast and desert
and mountains in Africa. This limit
ed strip is peopled by a semi-bar-
barous tribe of Moslems. who hide In
their mountain Businesses and harass
any forces sent against them. In
1921 the RIMS completely routed
great Spanish army. and Spain has
only recently completed the military
trial of the officers OF the defeated
regiments. For the glory of her past
she simply court rt-martials defeated
generals, but continues to pour out
her treasury and sacrifice her best
fighting columns.
Spain remained neutral in the World
War and amassed wealth because ol
her neutrality. At the same time, sne
burdened her people with excessive
taxes, that she might continue her
own war Of conquest against the
Riffs, who fought desperately to de-
fend their Independence and liberty.
frihaS have i0inad the
Riffs, and Spain. with an army OF
100, 900 in Morocco, is calling fol
more reinforcements. The King con-
tributes a flag and a farewell speech
to each departing regiment, but there
is no popular enthusiasm, and states
men, including the dictator, Gen
Prima. de Rivera, who has held all
power for nearly a year concede
that the Riff crisis Is the greatest
problem confronting his country
King Alfonso plays the monarch and
visits his fellow monarch. the King
OF Italy, so that France and England
grow suspicious Of the rapproche
ment of Spain and Italy-possibly
against the interest of France and
England-but De Rivera still holds
the premiership and virtually gives
orders to the throne while he is bar
fled by the barbarous Riffs across the
strait The Rift war has cost Spain
S4o0 900 900 in the last ] D years What
will be the end?
4 K
Tho beginning of the story of Eu-
ropean nations in North Africa. SO far
as modern diplomacy is concerned
dates back to 1881, when France
launched d series of campaigns Of
conquest-the first against Tunis
irh a aSfa h1iEhoH a nTOfor-
torate with ill-defined boundaries.
Spain soon followed with a protecto-
rate over a narrow section of North
Morocco, opposite Gibralter, and 1t
was not long before acute boundary
disputes arose between France and
Spain.
Real trouble began, however. wher
Kaiser Wilhelm II. in the early year.
of this century, looked with Jealousy
upon Frances colonial expansion. ant
undertook to stir up resistance
amongst the African tribes. Wal
between France and Germany threat
ened, and a conference at Algeciras
Spain, was called U906), in which
the following countries participated
with the view to a general settlement
Morocco, France. Germany, Spain
Italy and the United States. Oul
country participated because bandit:
had captured certain naturalized
Americans.
This conference Of Algeciras set
tied" the boundary dispute betweer
France and Spain by decreeing tha
the two countries should police the
boundary Jointly. and hold admins
trative Offices alternately-a mixed
compromise almost certain to lead tc
future friction. Germany agreed Il
relinquish all claims in Morocco ano